Made of Lies
by IrishPrincess1987
Summary: Rydia went through a harsh bitter breakup and her sister Mia, a WWE Diva, thinks the best thing for her is to take her on the road. It isn't long before Rydia's ex tracks her down, making it known that he wants her back and is willing to use any lengths to get what he wants; but there is one member of The Shield that has eyes for her and is willing to protect her no matter what.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note: I've decided to try and write again. I've been frustrated in the past with things that haven't turned out as well as I had hoped they would go. I'm hoping this time will be different. I will be using their screen names not their real names; hope everyone likes what they read.**

"_**Earth to Earth**_

_**Ashes to Ashes**_

_**Dreams to crumbles**_

_**And love to dust"**_

_**'Made of Lies' by: Elysion**_

Chapter 1:Harsh Beginnings

"It's over, Nick! Get that through your head!" Rydia shouted.

"You'll be sorry, when you realized what you've ruined."

"I ruined? You're joking right? I already know that I'm going to be so much happier without you."

Her words sent Nick Grayson over the edge. He swiftly grabbed her arm tightly, digging his fingertips into her skin. She winced in pain as his grip tightened. Rydia looked up into his face and saw the rage building in his features. His sandy brown hair fell into his dark brown eyes. At that moment they almost seemed black to her.

"You...will...be sorry, understand that." Nick stated in a rage infused tone.

"Let go of me."

Before she could even blink, the back of his hand connected with her cheek in a loud crack. She let out a small cry in pain. It was more out of surprise than the actual pain itself. He shoved her to the floor before walking out the door, slamming it behind him. She raised her hand to touch the sore spot on her face only to feel the wetness of tears rolling down them. Never once had a man raised their hand to her and it scared her intensely.

Pulling her knees up against her chest, she just sobbed softly and wondered what she had done to deserve such treatment. Rydia never moved from the spot on the floor. She didn't know how much time had passed and only looked up when she heard the door open. Out of fear, she scooted away from the sound. A woman walked into the room to see her cowering against the kitchen wall, holding the side of her face.

"Rydia, oh my god. What happened?" The woman asked panicking from the sight before her.

"Nick...he...he..."

She couldn't get the words out to explain what had happened hours before hand. The younger woman knelt down in front of her and took her hands into her own, gently running a thumb over the soft flesh. She could see the red welt on her cheek and could come up with her own ideas as to what happened. "Listen to me. You did nothing wrong. Nick's temper has been out of control for a long time and we've all known it. You, me, Mom and Dad. This is not your fault and I won't let you blame yourself."

"Who said I was blaming myself?" Rydia asked.

"I can see it on your face."

"Mia, I don't blame myself. I'm just scared and I have every reason to be."

"Yes; I know; but you also can't dwell on it either. You need to get back to being you; the singer, songwriter, artist and kick-ass bartender."

Rydia let out a laugh and wiped away the stray tears that were hanging on her chin. Mia helped her sister to her feet and hugged her tightly. It was hard to see the closest person in her life in that much mental anguish. She didn't want to tell her older sister that maybe she should be afraid. Nick always gave her a bad feeling when he was around.

"So how has the WWE been treating you?" Rydia asked.

"Pretty good. I'm living out my dream and I couldn't be happier." Mia answered.

Rydia's dark brown hair fell over her shoulder when she went to lean over the counter for a glass that had been in the sink. Her small hand turned the knob for cold water; but nothing came out. Mia walked around and began to turn the knob over and over again. The final turn expelled a brown thick liquid that smell like rotting garbage.

"That son-of-a-bitch, if he had something to do with this..." Mia cut off as she tried to wipe away the foul liquid away from her chest.

Mia grabbed a dish cloth and left the kitchen, making her way into the bathroom. She tossed her soiled shirt onto the floor and grabbed a discarded shirt of Rydia's. "I'm sorry, I didn't think he was this crazy." She apologized.

Mia walked out of the bathroom and placed both her hands on her sister's shoulders. "Again, I'm going to tell you this...this is not you're fault." She repeated; but deep down she was afraid for Rydia. She really didn't know how far Nick would go to try and win her sister back. There was only one thing she could do.

"Why don't you come with me for a while?" Mia asked.

"You mean travel with you to shows?"

"Yeah, it'll be fun. You'll meet lots of new people."

Rydia thought about it a moment. She'd have to leave her job at the club and rely on Mia for everything. That was something she wasn't used to doing; but she also didn't want to be looking over shoulder, wondering if Nick would do something else to torment her. "Alright, I'm in; but this is only temporary." She agreed.

"Whatever you say, sis. Come on let's get you packed, I have to leave in the morning for Seattle."

The next morning, Rydia awoke to the sound of her alarm clock blaring next to her. Today was her big day. A day for changes and to spend time with the only family she felt close to. She could hear Mia in the shower and felt relief by that. As much as she loved her, Mia was overly perky in the mornings whereas Rydia was not.

"Come on, Rydia its time to get up." She told herself for motivation.

She rolled out of bed and stepped towards her closet. Opening the door, she scanned the hundreds of clothes. Finally settling on a pair of black leggins and a baby blue strapless high-low top. Allowing her hair to fall in chocolate ringlets down her back, she took out her favorite pair of knee-high boots.

"Almost ready, Ry?" Mia asked from the closed bathroom.

"Of course, little sister." Rydia replied mocking the motherly action in her younger sister.

Finishing up the last little touches to her make-up, Rydia walked out of her room holding the handle to her rolling suitcase. Mia stepped out wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a silver satin glitter tank top with a scoop neckline; the heels of her sandals echoed on the wood floors of the apartment. Her brown hair was pulled up in a simple ponytail; but it still made her look stunning.

"Ready?" Rydia asked.

"Oh yeah, of course."

Mia led the way out of the apartment, locking the door behind her. The trip to the airport was silent. Rydia's mind kept going back to Nick and his violent nature he expressed to her just twelve hours prior. The years they spent together, she never saw a violent streak until after they had broken up. If it wasn't bad enough to catch him cheating with another woman; but he also had the nerve to beg to be taken back.

"Ry, are you alright?" Mia asked.

"Yeah..."

They stepped inside the gate that would lead them inside the plane. Mia knew her sister enough to know that she wasn't alright when she claims that she is; but she also knew when not to push to get her to talk. The First class section of the plane was a hassle to get to and people that recognized Mia made it harder; but Rydia didn't complain, she knew that this was her dream.

Mia struggled to get away from the fans. Eventually she managed to and they found themselves inside First Class. Rydia looked around and realized that it really wasn't much different than the other part of the plane. As she stepped backward, she didn't realized that there was a male body standing there putting items into the overhead hanger.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I should have watched where I was going." Rydia apologized.

"It's alright." He replied softly.

He gave her a half smile and turned back around to continue shoving his belongings into the tiny compartment. Rydia looked back at him and saw that he had very tanned skin, long black hair that reached a little passed his shoulders and several tattoos on his arms. She didn't really get a good look at his face, because she had been busy apologizing for bumping into him.

"Rydia, give me your bag and I'll put it up." Mia offered.

"Sure..."

She handed over the bag she held in her hand. Mia stuffed it into the overhead compartment and sat down in her seat. Rydia felt slightly out of place seeing all the people around her dressed in such expensive clothing. When her sister first became a WWE Diva, she would have given everything to be just as classy as she was; but the reality was that all she had become was a bartender at a local club.

Rydia's eyes scanned every single inch of what she could actually see. Black and blue marks on her arm caught her attention. Instantly, her hand went up to cover them. Mia noticed and pulled her arm away. "Shit...I didn't notice them this morning. Here take my jacket." She whispered and wiggled out of her denim overcoat.

"Thanks, I didn't notice them either until now."

"Yo Mia, what's up?" A male voice asked from across the aisle.

Mia turned to see a man with shaggy light brown hair, blue eyes, and light facial hair. She groaned and rolled her eyes. "What do you want Dean?" She asked allowing the irritation into her voice. Rydia looked up, slightly giving eye contact to him.

"Who do you have with ya?"

"My sister, if you must know."

Dean looked over to the next seat over. Rydia's blue eyes expressed fear unlike anything he'd ever seen before. He knew the look. It was one he had seen in the past; the battered woman syndrome. "Hello, I'm Dean Ambrose. Pleasure to meet you..." He introduced extending his hand out to her.

She scanned him for a few moments, wondering if he was being sincere or not. It was hard to tell now that she had seen a completely different side to Nick. Mia seemed hostile towards him and it made her even more skittish about introducing herself; but as it would seem, her mind did the opposite of what her heart told her.

"Rydia Chandler." She answered accepting his handshake.

"Rydia huh? That's an unusual name; beautiful though."

Mia made a slight gagging noise, making it known that she was not happy with the obvious flirting attempt from the fellow Shield member. Dean gave her a slight glare and backed away with his arms in the air, surrendering to the over protective sister. "Dean and I don't get along much. He's to much of a flirt and the only thing he cares about is getting a woman into his bed for the night." Mia warned.

"He's part of The Shield, right?" Rydia asked turning her head back to look out the window.

"Yeah, the other two members are nicer and don't look at you like your some piece of meat."

Dean returned to his seat next to his fellow tag team partners, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. Seth looked from his Ipod and saw the discouraged look upon his friend's face. "What's up man, did Mia chew you out again?" He asked half laughing at his own comment.

"Always. She brought her sister with her and I couldn't even talk to her before she started to bitch."

Roman chuckled a little to himself; but took a glance in Mia's direction. He saw the same dark brown hair of the woman who had bumped into him before the flight started. She turned her head slightly and he saw the bright blue of her eyes sparkle with the rays of the sun against them. "Earth to Roman!" Seth said waving a hand in front of his face.

"Huh? What?"

"What the hell are you looking at?" Dean asked.

"Nothing..."

Rydia folded her hands together only to unfold them seconds later. Her nerves were expanding and it was hard for her to focus on just one thing. She knew there was still another hour of waiting before they would arrive in Seattle, so she pulled out her Ipod and placed their earbuds into her ears. It was the only way she knew how to drown out the problems that had her head spinning. In a matter of moments her eyes closed, escaping into her world of music.

She hoped that following her sister around for a while would bring peace back to her chaotic mind and that Nick would give up on her; but somehow she felt that things would get worse before they got better.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note: I'd like to take the time to thank the people who have taken the time to read this. This has been a struggle to get just right; so anything helpful would be greatly appreciated. Here is the next chapter and I hope to see some reviews soon. Enjoy reading!**

"_**Tell me, why am I still here**_

_**when it's all gone**_

_**I'm living with the ghosts of yesterday**_

_**Tell me, why am I still trying to hold on**_

_**I've got to tear it down**_

_**to let it go"**_

_**'Tell Me Why' by: Within Temptation**_

Chapter 2: Different Side

Mia glanced over seeing Rydia's closed eyes and the ear-buds neatly placed in her small ears. She shook her head, not really surprised to see her sister listening to music. It pretty much was her life along with drawing. She could remember back when they were kids that they would fight over the radio stations in the car. They had such different tastes in music that their parents would have to choose instead.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the plane will be landing in five minutes. So would you please fasten your seat-belts and prepare for landing." The Captain announced.

Rydia mindlessly buckled her seat-belt and continued to look out the window. She was trying to sort out everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, trying to make sense of it all. Mia could see the struggle on her sister's face and took her hand into her own. She was letting her know that she was there for her no matter what. Rydia's fingers twined with Mia's, accepting the comfort.

The landing of the plane jerked her forward slightly. She watched as a lot of the passengers were already preparing to walk off. The butterflies in her stomach were making her stomach twist into knots. She didn't know if she could do the whole socializing thing like Mia wanted.

"Are you okay? You look a little paler than usual." Mia asked.

"I don't know if this is such a good idea." Rydia answered in a panic stricken voice.

"You need this. You need to get him off your mind. I promise you will have fun and nothing will happen to you while you're with me."

Mia saw the fear in her sister's eyes and it pained her to even see it. She knew that something had to be done to get her mind off Nick. She also knew that Rydia would be wondering what she could do for money. Rydia was stubborn and would never ask for anything from anyone unless she was desperate.

"The plane has landed safely and you may now exit." The Captain announced.

It didn't take long for people to pile into the aisle and crowd the exit. Rydia and Mia held off and waited until the path was clear before trying to leave. Mia could see Dean walking out into the path followed by the two others that were known as The Shield. He made eye contact with her, winking as he turned away.

"I know you said he was a womanizer; but he seems to genuinely like you." Rydia commented.

"There is nothing genuine about him."

Mia walked off and she followed closely behind. A rental car was waiting for them outside the airport and the drive to the hotel was spent in silence, neither sister knew what to say to the other. Seattle was a city that Rydia had never been to and it amazed her to see all the new sights. "Do you like what you see here?" Mia asked softly trying to make small conversation.

"Yeah, it's prettier than Dallas."

Mia giggled a little at the remark. Dallas, Texas was where they were born and raised; but as they grew up it didn't seem like home anymore. They wanted to see more of the world and explore new things. Rydia continued to stare at the city as it passed by the window as Mia pulled the car into a large parking lot.

"Are you going to come to the arena with me or are you going to stay in the hotel room tonight?" Mia asked curiously; but silently hoping she'd come with her.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Honestly, I want you to come with me; but it's you're choice. I'd feel better if you came with me though."

Rydia didn't say anything else until they got into the room. As she stepped passed the threshold, a shiver ran up her spine. She felt like she was being watched and it scared her. Mia cocked her head to the side, looking at her sister oddly. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"It's nothing."

**The Arena, Seattle Washington**

Rydia stepped beside Mia, watching as everyone stared at her curiously. Some smiled while others just looked and walked on. She didn't understand why Mia like being a part of a non-social group of people. She knew her sister better than anyone and Mia loved to be social. "Mia!" A voice called from behind them.

"Hey Brie." Mia greeted.

"How are things?"

"Honestly, they could be better; but hey, I'd like you to meet someone."

Brie turned her head to see Rydia standing there. Her long dark brown hair fell into her blue eyes. There was something about her that made Brie feel uneasy and she didn't know what it was. Mia took her sister's arm and smiled brightly.

"This is my sister, Rydia. Rydia, this is Brie Bella."

"Nice to meet you, Mia talks highly of you and Nikki."

"Well we were the first ones to talk to Mia when she arrived in the company. This place isn't as social as it used to be."

Somehow Rydia didn't doubt that for a moment. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied Dean Ambrose and two others along with him. They shared a second of eye contact before he began to approach them. "Dean what are doing?" One called out to him; but all he did was wave a hand for them to follow him.

"Hey Brie...Mia." He said looking from one woman to the other.

"What do you want?" Brie asked.

"Nothing in particular. Just saw Rydia with you and wanted to talk to her."

Mia stepped in front of her sister protectively. "That's out of the question." She snapped. Dean furrowed his brows and looked back towards Seth and Roman behind him. He was looking for support; but they gave none.

"Ignore him, we do sometimes." Seth stated.

"What?" Dean tried to ask; but was pushed aside by Roman.

"I'm Roman and this is Seth. It nice to meet you officially." He introduced with a smile.

Rydia instantly recognized him as the man she had bumped into on the plane. Her cheeks heated up in embarrassment. She never thought she'd see him again, let alone introducing himself to her. Mia grinned as she was witnessing a rare moment of emotion from Roman. Rydia couldn't describe the feeling she felt inside her chest in that moment; but it didn't scare her as much as Nick did.

"Rydia Chandler, and yes, it's nice to meet officially." She replied with a forced smile.

Dean groaned and took his leave. He didn't understand why Mia was so protective and it was something he was determined to find out. Seth and Roman backed away, following their friend down the hallway. Once they were out of sight, Brie let out a laugh and was soon joined by Mia.

"When are you going to stop playing the 'hard to get' game with Dean?" Brie asked.

"I'm not playing any game. He is just an ass and I want more than just looks." Mia replied.

"Anyways, I came over to ask you to come out tonight after the show. Nikki and I are going to this nightclub downtown called 'Trinity Nightclub'."

"I'll think about it. I may just spend some time with Ry."

"I was inviting both of you, silly."

Brie smiled and turned down the hall. Mia shifted to look directly at Rydia. The look in her eyes told her exactly what she needed to know. Going to the club was out of the question for her.

**Monday Night Raw**

Rydia sat in the woman's locker-room watching the show on the TV in the corner of the room. A smile crept to her face when Mia's entrance music started up. It made her heart race hearing all the people cheering for her. The smile on her sister's face was priceless and she never wanted to see it fade no matter what.

Mia stood in the corner of the ring waiting for her opponent to make her presence felt. 'Let's light it Up' sounded and the energetic spark known as AJ Lee skipped down the ring. The Diva's Title over her shoulder as she pranced around the ring with Tamina beside her for reassurance. AJ got into the ring and gently handed her title to the referee.

Both women locked up in the center with Mia gaining the upper hand early on. She twisted AJ's arm behind her back, pulling hard. AJ flipped Mia over onto her back then swiftly kicking her in the abdomen. Tamina stood in the same stop by the announce table with her arms crossed. Her constant staring was starting to get inside Mia's head.

Mia rolled onto her back before getting back to her feet with a nip up. They locked up once again with Mia catching her into a belly-to-belly suplex. AJ arched her back up in pain and surprise. She never saw her opponent's move coming. Mia stalked AJ attempting to catch her in finisher; but out of nowhere Tamina blindsided her with an elbow to the back of the head.

The referee called for the bell and the disqualification of AJ Lee. Neither woman seemed to care as they both settled for attacking Mia relentlessly. The crowd began to scream when the Bella Twins rushed down to the ring to advance the odds. Tamina and AJ Lee scattered and left the ring as quickly as they had gotten in. Brie and Nikki helped Mia back to her feet then helped her to the back.

**Backstage(Off screen)**

Mia walked down the hall towards the woman's locker-room. She looked up from the floor to see Dean leaning against the wall next the room she wanted to enter. Rolling her eyes, she felt the anger rise up. She really wasn't in the mood to deal with anymore of his flirting attempts.

"Not really in the mood, Dean. What do you want?" She asked bitterly.

"Aren't you the younger sister? Why are you so damn protective of her?" He asked boldly.

"That's not any of your business. Now stay away from her."

She tried to walk around him; but he blocked her path. He gently touched her bare arms. The feeling was surprisingly warm to her and it didn't make her sick to stomach like she thought it would. The look in his eyes was sincere and full of concern. "She was abused by someone wasn't she?" He asked again more quietly than before.

"How...how would you know that?" She asked backing away from him.

"I know that look. I've seen it before on a very dear friend of mine's face."

Mia was stunned to hear the confession. She was seeing a different side to him that didn't think even existed. There wasn't a trace of a lie in his voice or in his eyes. He took a step closer to her and reached up to brush the back of his fingertips across her cheek. "Let me help you." He whispered.

"You just play a part of a group for justice; you aren't really a group for hire. As long as we travel, he shouldn't be able to track her down." Mia replied.

"If he's determined enough he will find her no matter what."

"Well we will cross that bridge when we come to it; but for right now, I want her to have fun and not think about the what ifs."

He smiled at her and back away from her, understanding what she wanted. Mia watched as he walked away. In those small moments talking to him, she saw something different about him. He wasn't fighting with her and he wasn't urging her to do something she didn't want to do; but she also knew that he was right about Nick. If he was determined enough, he would track Rydia down no matter how long it took. That fact scared her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author Note: I'm very pleased with the outcome of the last chapter. It's great to see some reviews and lots of followers; so I would like to thank Leasha Orton, SamanthaJane13 and caz21 for the awesome reviews. I'd like to thank volleyballbabe51, somecoolkid, loveemesomeambrose, caz21, caleb's babe, SamanthaJane13, RuthC, RachelNicole523, JohnCenaFan21, AngelsDestiny22, cena-orton-punk lover, Dizzy2k9, CharismaXe and ItsSimplyNatalie for following this story.**

"_**A thief in the night, out of sight**_

_**It's out there waiting to ignite**_

_**The fever will rise, rise, rise**_

_**Taking over my mind"**_

_**'Dangerous' by: Within Temptation**_

Chapter 3:

Rydia looked away from the TV to see Mia walk into the room. She instantly could tell there was something different about her. Mia's cheeks were slightly pink and her hand was clenched at her chest in attempts to calm down.

"Mia, are you alright? You look like you're blushing." Rydia commented with a smile.

"I just had the oddest conversation with Dean outside." She replied pointing towards the closed door behind her.

Mia knew she was lying to cover up the fact that she was scared that Nick really would track down her sister; but it was better for her to think that she was safe than to live in fear constantly. Rydia perked at her sister's words and was curious about what the two spoke of. "So what did he say to you that's got you all blushing?"

"It's not what he said, because he really didn't say much. It was more of what he did."

Her heart was still racing and all he did was brush his hand along her cheek. She never saw him as anything more than an asshole; but now she was seeing something different and she couldn't decide what to do about it. The small touch on her skin left her reveling in the moment over and over again. Rydia turned away from her sister when she heard the entrance music of The Shield.

Mia also inched her way closer to the TV to see them enter from the arena instead of the stage. They walked through the crowd before jumping over the barricade to the floor outside the ring. Rydia watched intently, she was intrigued by all three men and didn't exactly know why. "I need a shower." Mia stated trying to break the awkward silence that had arisen within the room.

"Are you going out with Brie and Nikki tonight?" Rydia asked.

"Not unless you were going to. I don't want you to hang out at the hotel alone and bored all night."

"I'll go with you."

"Are you sure? I mean being here is one thing; but the club houses hundreds of people."

"Yeah, I could use a drink."

Mia laughed; but knew that Rydia was nowhere near ready to be that social. She admired her courage to go out and try.

**After Monday Night Raw**

Mia stepped out of the rental car in a pair of camouflage mini shorts and a black tank top with a v neckline. The heels of her thigh-high boots clicked against the pavement of the parking lot. Her hair was curled in large ringlets, framing her small face accordingly. Rydia smiled at her, seeing first hand her sister's elegance.

Rydia wore her hair straight and large chunks fell over her bare shoulders, hiding the healing bruises from Nick's fingers. Seeing the large crowd gathering at the entrance of the club made her wonder if going was such a good idea for her. The sound of bass was almost deafening to her ears. Mia was smiling from ear to ear, knowing that she could dance her heart out and be with her friends and sister.

"What do you want to drink when we get inside?" She asked Rydia.

"Surprise me, you know what I like." She replied with a half smile.

The feeling of someone watching her returned and she couldn't shake it. It seem familiar somehow and it made her think of Nick. During the last few months of their relationship, he became overly watchful of what she was doing and where she went. Mia gently elbowed her in the arm to snap her out of her trance. They were about to go inside, when Brie and Nikki yelled from the other line across the walkway.

"See you guys inside!" Mia yelled.

Rydia followed her sister inside the pulsing club. Hundreds of people crowded the dance floor at a remixed version of 'Radioactive' by Imagine Dragons. Her blue eyes scanned the crowds for anyone she knew other than Mia and the Bella Twins; but she saw no one. The Bouncer escorted them to a VIP section of the club.

"I'll get some drinks, you stay here and enjoy the view." Mia suggested.

"You need to stop worrying about me so much, I'll be fine." Rydia replied.

Mia smiled and turned heel to walk out of the room. Her smile quickly faded when she realized that she couldn't stop worrying about her. There was no one other than herself that could protect her now. Though, Dean had offered to help her; but she couldn't ask him to. There was too much risk involved.

Rydia looked over the railing and watched the people below her enjoying themselves in dance. The ceiling was made of windows and completely see-through. The stars were brightly sparkling in the sky. Watching them gave her a sense of completion and she felt like she could maybe enjoy herself. Mia returned with two plastic cups of pink liquid and the Bella Twins right behind her.

"Oh my god, Rydia you need to come dance with us." Nikki prompted.

"Yeah, Ry, there are some really good looking guys down there." Brie suggested.

The twins took each one of Rydia's arms and pulled her along with them. Mia simply smiled and followed close behind, taking a sip from her drink. The closer they got to the main floor, the harder it was to hear anything but bass; but it didn't bother Rydia. Music was her life and she respected all kinds even though it wasn't the type she preferred to listen to.

She took a drink from her cup and tasted the fruity flavor. Feeling the smooth liquid run down her throat, she smiled legitimately for the first time in days. Brie and Nikki circled Rydia, throwing their arms up in the air and slightly rubbing up against her. Mia joined in the threesome and swayed her hips in rhythm with the music.

Rydia smiled and allowed herself to relax for the first time in months since the breakup. Brie tipped her head back to finish the last drop in her cup and began to walk towards the bar. Mia filled in the empty spot in the circle. "Are you having fun?" Mia asked leaning on her sister shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm glad I came."

Brie returned with a newly filled cup as the song changed to 'Dark Horse' by Katy Perry. Nikki smiled, absolutely loving the song. Mia backed away and returned towards the bar. She leaned her back against the edge, looking back at her sister dancing with her friends. It was something she wanted to keep seeing.

"Hello Mia." A rough voice greeted next to her.

The voice sent a chill down her spine. She knew exactly who it belonged to. The fear made her blood run cold and her body freeze up. Mia forced herself to turn and looked at him. "Nick..." She whispered. The second his name rolled off her tongue a grin formed on his thin lips.

"Did you really think that taking her on the road would keep her hidden?" He asked.

"What do you want with her?"

"That should be obvious."

Mia shifted her eyes to look at Rydia still dancing without actually moving her head; but Nick knew exactly what she was doing. She felt his hand grip her arm tightly, holding her still. His fingertips dug into her skin, knowing that he'd leave bruises. "I'll let her have fun tonight; but keep this in mind...I will find her no matter where you go."

Nick let go of her arm and walked off towards the exit. Tears burned the corners of her eyes, threatening to cross over the threshold. She didn't know what to do and she didn't want to tell Rydia about Nick being in town. Her hands began to shake uncontrollably, so she started to drink from the cup in her hand.

When she had settled down enough to know alert anyone to her fear, she returned to the group on the dance floor. Rydia stepped backward and into a firm body. She swiftly turned around to apologize and recognized the face before her.

"Rydia?" He questioned.

"I'm sorry, Roman. I think I might have drank a little too much. I'm getting clumsy."

He smiled at her. Seth and Dean appeared behind him seconds later. Rydia felt at ease around them and even more so now that alcohol was involved. Roman reached out to gently steady her and saw the healing bruises on her arm. It alarmed him; but he didn't say anything.

"Do you want me to take you back to the hotel?" Roman asked.

"I'll take her. I'm getting tired anyway." Mia replied.

He looked at her and stepped back. Dean looked at the woman that intrigued him and saw the distraught expression in her eyes. She was hiding something; but, as always, he could never figure it out. He could never figure her out; though, he desperately wanted to.

**The Hotel, Seattle**

Mia unlocked the door and helped the drunken Rydia into the room. She stumbled across the floor, laughing with every step. Mia gently laid her down on one of the beds and removed her boots, sitting them next to the nightstand.

"I'm so...glad I came...with you..." Rydia slurred before passing out completely.

Mia smiled and draped a blanket over her sleeping sister's body. She lay down on the other bed staring at the ceiling. Nick's warning replayed in her mind over and over again. She couldn't understand why anyone would want to hurt Rydia or hurt anyone simply because they broke up with someone.

After tossing and turning for over an hour, Mia rolled off the bed and walked out the room. The hallway was brightly lit and she walked the hall back and forth, trying to figure out what to tell Rydia in the morning.

"Mia, what are you doing?" Dean's voice asked.

She turned to see him standing in the doorway of his room. Without meaning to, the tears spilled over her lashes. His concerned expression turned to a stunned one. He never expected her to show that kind of emotion to him. Seeing her at the club earlier, he knew there was something wrong.

"I don't know what to do." She cried.

"Come inside."

Dean stepped aside to allow her entrance to his room. She felt guilty for leaving her sleeping sister alone in their room; but she needed someone to talk to and he seemed like the best person. He gave her a bottle of water and sat down across from her.

"What happened?" He asked.

"He showed up at the club tonight."

"He?"

"Nick Grayson, Rydia's ex-boyfriend."

He understood what she was saying. It was the man who had abused Rydia. The woman in front of him was beyond scared for her sister and that's when he saw the red marks on her arm. The rage was starting to build within him; but he suppressed it down for her sake.

"I'm so scared for her. He told me that he'd find her no matter where I took her."

"Mia...

"What am I going to tell her?" She interrupted.

"Mia, look at me."

He cupped her cheek in his hand, gently brushing away the tears that stained her face. "Let me help you. She doesn't need to know about anything right now." He stated. She pulled away from his touch and shook her head.

"No, I can't risk anyone else."

Dean smiled at her. There was sincerity in his smile and it made her rethink the answer she gave him; but for only a moment. "Why are you so stubborn? I'm offering to help protect your sister and you're turning it down." He asked.

Mia stood up and began to walk towards the door. She didn't want to have that conversation with him. There were more important things to think about besides her stubbornness. "It was a mistake to come here." She whispered and opened the door.

"Mia." He called.

She looked back at him once before walking out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author Note: I'm enjoying seeing all the new followers and new reviews after I post a new chapter. It's great encouragement to get a new one up faster. I'd like to thank WalkNGal88, CuteShorty91, General Captain, princessofdarkness2016, oppossarah, MissyAshley, and CrazyAndAlive for following this story. I'd also like to thank Leasha Orton and AngelsDestiny22 for giving me awesome reviews.**

"_**Here I start to define it**_  
><em><strong>As a sign on my skin<strong>_  
><em><strong>That I just try to wash away<strong>_  
><em><strong>Reminder infected, it'll be painful to me<strong>_

_**Life is so short**_  
><em><strong>Close to the edge of another backdoor<strong>_  
><em><strong>Life is so sure<strong>_  
><em><strong>Life will be ready to twist up your world"<strong>_

_**'To The Edge' by: Lacuna Coil**_

Chapter 4: Changes

Dean leaned his head back against the rest of the couch. Mia was a complete mystery to him. One moment she was opening up to him and the next she was closing herself off again. He wanted to be there for her; but he couldn't seem to get passed her barriers. The look of fear in her eyes screamed at him to try and protect her; but he honestly didn't know what or who to protect her from. The only thing he had was a name.

"Nick Grayson. Why does that name sound familiar to me?" He asked himself quietly.

He rolled onto his side, facing the back of the couch. So many thoughts were running through his head that he knew that he just needed to fall asleep.

The next morning, Rydia opened her sore eyes and felt the throbbing in the temples of her head. She instantly knew that she was hungover. Her mouth was dry and she could feel the vomit climbing its way up her throat. Mia looked up to see her sister rushing to the bathroom to expel the contents of her stomach.

A small laugh escaped her mouth, remembering the days when they would go out and party all night and then be totally worthless the next day. Those days seemed so long ago to her now. After two years in the WWE, she rarely had time to visit home. She rarely got to see her family; but now that Rydia was there with her, she didn't want to loose that familiarity for any reason.

"My head hurts so bad." Rydia said coming out of the bathroom.

"I'm sure it does. I haven't seen you drink like that since we were twenty-one." Mia replied turning to face her.

Rydia walked over to her bag and pulled out a small change purse. Inside, was contents of vitamins and two bottles of Aleve. She poured two blue pills into her hand and tipped her head back to swallow them. "I didn't expect to drink so much; but Nikki kept getting me refills."

"That's what they do. You gotta know when to say no to them."

"It's fine. I had fun."

"I'm glad. It's nice to see the smile on your face again."

Mia knew that if she found out about Nick's appearance her smile would fade. The fact that they were so close in age, made them have a bond like twins. They always knew when the other way lying or upset. Rydia sat down next to her and leaned her head against the side of the couch. "So what's got you all thinking? I know that look. Something is bothering you." She asked.

"It's nothing to worry about." She replied.

"It's not nothing if you're staring off into space thinking about it."

Again, Mia knew that Rydia wouldn't let it go until she got a satisfied answer. The only thing she could do was bring up Dean again. Though it wasn't a total lie; but it wasn't really what's got her mind swirling. "Is this about Dean again?"

"Something like that."

Mia stood up and began to rummage through her bag for clothes. Rydia took that as a sign not to push further. There were times that even Mia didn't want to talk about things. She watched her sister closely, waiting to see any signs of distress; but she saw none. Even during the trip to LA was spent in silence. Smackdown wasn't a live show. It was tapped on Tuesday nights and Rydia followed Mia closely. She saw some of the same faces as the previous night; but there were some new ones.

"Hey Mia!" Brie greeted.

"How was the rest of your night?" Nikki asked.

"Rydia passed out there wasn't much to it." Mia replied.

The twins looked from Mia to Rydia. She simply shrugged her shoulders innocently, still feeling the last remnants of her headache. She turned to grab her bag from the floor. She froze when her eyes come in contact with Randy Orton. His cold blue eyes bore into her. A shiver ran up her spine and he never stopped to greet them; he just kept walking, pulling his bag behind him.

"He must be in a mood today." Brie commented.

"Yeah, normally he would have at least said 'hi' to us." Nikki continued.

It didn't really matter to Rydia. She really wasn't there to make friends with everyone her sister worked with. She was there only for a break away from the problems at home; but Rydia couldn't deny the fact that having a friend wouldn't be a bad thing. Mia looked at her sister and wondered what she was thinking about. Her facial expression told a story that she longed for company; but would never ask for it.

"Excuse me ladies." A thundering female voice interrupted.

The four women looked at the owner of the voice, Stephanie McMahon. Her long chocolate hair lay across her shoulders in ringlets. Her smile screamed authority; but there was some gentleness to it behind all the power. "Sorry, Stephanie. Did you need through?" Brie asked.

"Not exactly, I came to talk to Mia. Could you please leave us to talk alone, please?"

"Of course." Nikki replied.

The twins walked away; but Rydia remained hesitant. Mia looked at her and nodded her head. She was silently telling her that it was okay. Rydia stepped back and walked around the corner only to run into Roman Reigns. "I'm so sorry." She apologized before realizing who exactly she was apologizing to.

"It's alright, Rydia." He replied.

She looked up at him to see his smile. The butterflies in her stomach began to flutter for a different reason than before. He scanned her briefly. The healing bruises on her arms were turning to a yellowish color; but still very visible. "Did you make it back to the hotel okay last night?" He asked.

"Yeah from what I remember. Mia said I passed out almost instantly. I definitely felt it this morning."

"So you wouldn't want to come out for a drink tonight then?"

Her heart was pounding against her chest so hard that she thought it would leave a bruise. Before she could even answer, Dean and Seth approached them. Roman seemed annoyed by their interruption and it couldn't help but make Rydia smile on the inside.

"Are we interrupting something?" Seth asked teasingly.

"No, not really." Roman answered.

"Rydia, there you are!" Mia's panicked voice echoed the hallway.

Roman rolled his eyes once again at yet another interruption. Rydia tried desperately not to laugh at his obvious irritation. Mia hooked her arm with Rydia's and proceeded to try and drag her away from the trio. "What are you doing? I was talking to them." Rydia protested yanking her arm away.

"It can wait. Stephanie McMahon wants to speak with you."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. Without arguing, she followed Mia away from the group. She mentally made a note to find Roman after the show to answer his question; but that was after she thought about it for a little bit. Turning the corner of the hall, Stephanie stood with arms at her sides talking to her husband Triple H.

"Here she is, Stephanie." Mia called.

"It's an honor to meet you." Rydia stated holding her hand out.

Stephanie took her hand and shook it firmly. Rydia passed her hand over to Triple H, who took a firm hold as well. Her palms were becoming sweaty with the nerves passing through her body. She had no idea what they could possibly want to talk to her about. If it was about her traveling with Mia, then Mia would have had a sadder expression than what she did have.

"Rydia, have you ever thought about wrestling?" She asked.

"Once or twice. It was when Mia left to be a Diva."

"We like the look you present. We want to test run your acting abilities tonight. Mia has a set match tonight and I want you to accompany her. There will be a segment at the end that will involve The Wyatt Family and The Shield. What you do is up to you, let Mia guide you though." Triple H explained.

Rydia contemplated what they wanted. It was a change of a lifetime to do something other than bar tend at a local club. It was also and a chance to put her life with Nick behind her and move on. If she succeeded, then she could do other things to. "Okay, let's do this!" She answered with a smile.

Mia squealed and wrapped her arms around her neck. She was so happy that her heart could burst with joy. The power couple left the sisters alone to talk about what's to come. They walked into the woman's locker-room to change. Mia pulled out her ring gear and laid it gently on the bench beside her. "Did you say something to them?" Rydia asked.

"No, Steph came up to me and asked if you were wrestling anywhere. She didn't want want any wrestlers from other companies inside the building. It's a business thing; and that's when she asked me what I thought about you becoming one."

"Are they really going to send me for training?"

"Yeah, they sent others for training when they hired them."

Mia began to change into her ring clothes when she remembered that she had interrupted Rydia talking to Roman. The curiosity was setting in and she needed ask what the conversation was about. "So what were you talking about before I interrupted you?" She asked.

"Nothing really, Roman just asked me to come out for a drink tonight."

She was surprised to hear her answer. Roman was usually the quiet one of the group and she never expected him to take a liking to Rydia at all. Ignoring the thoughts she wanted to say, she continued to get ready for her match. Rydia changed into a pair of black vinyl leggins and multicolored brown strapless high-low top. She fastened the attached belt around her stomach and then leaned down to zipper up her boots over the leggins.

"I like that outfit. Where did you get it?" Mia asked.

"The top I got at rue21 and the pants at Hot Topic. You bought me the shoes."

"Well you look amazing."

"Thank you. Are you sure you want me out there with you? Won't I distract you?"

Mia smiled and took a few steps closer to her. She placed a hand on her shoulder. Rydia looked from her hand to her sister's face. Their blue eyes locked and all the doubt faded away. "I want you out there. If you don't like it, then you don't have to do anymore things."

"Okay."

Rydia turned towards her bag to find her make-up box, when she heard Mia turn on music from her phone. 'You look good to me' by Lucy Hale started up and Rydia groaned in annoyance. Country music was not something she liked at all. That's where most of their arguments as kids always happened.

"Oh my god, how can you stand listening to this stuff?" Rydia commented.

"How can you listen to the stuff you call music?" Mia shot back.

There was silence for a few moments before they burst into laughter. They looked at each other and then at the TV in the corner of the room. The introduction to Smackdown was already running on the screen. It wouldn't be long before Mia had her match and Rydia would make her first appearance in front of thousands of people.

**End Note: Should Rydia be a wrestler or just a manager? Should she accept a drink with Roman? Let me know what you think. Hope you liked the new chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author Note: You readers are simply amazing. I never thought I'd receive this kind of response to this story. I'd like to thank Leasha Orton, CrazyAndAlive, caz21, and DOOLover08 for the awesome reviews for the last chapter. I'd like to thank .3, BlackHamster96,Kdaniels270, ghunter182003, HardyxLover, nattiebroskette, synismysim, and HearAmyRoar for following this story. I hope this chapter receives the same kind of response as the last one. Enjoy reading!**

"_**You've gotta try or you will never find out**_

_**Don't be afraid of what it take to break out**_

_**Don't look back 'cause all you'll find is self doubt**_

_**(All they do is bring you down)**_

_**You take a step and you will start to figure it out**_

_**Don't back down when everyone's calling you out**_

_**This is your chance to shine**_

_**(Don't ever let them bring you down)"**_

_**'Break Out' by: The Letter Black**_

Chapter 5: Distant Sun

Rydia's stomach twisted into knots as the time to walk out with Mia was approaching. Hundreds of thoughts raced through her head and it wouldn't slow down no matter how many times she tried to shake them. It had been over a year since she stood in from of a crowd of people, granted that it was only a couple hundred compared to thousands of people out in the arena that night.

"Calm down, you will do just fine. You are a natural at performing in front of people." Mia commented.

"Yeah, singing maybe. I've never done this before." She replied.

"Just remember that when I'm loosing, act worried; and when the Wyatt Family comes out, act scared."

The concept was simple enough and all she could do was hope that it all worked out okay. She almost forgot that The Shield would be playing a part in the segment as well. It brought back the thought of Roman asking her out for a drink after the show. She was torn with the answer. Her mind screamed 'yes'; but her heart was hesitant.

"It's time." Mia interrupted.

A tacky rave song started to play as Mia's entrance theme. Rydia groaned at the sound of it. There were so many things she could come up with that would have been hundred times better; but it was time walk out with her sister. Mia's smile was priceless and there was so much joy behind it. Rydia remained calm; but held a smile on her face.

Mia was introduced. She stood inside the ring stretching out a little more before her opponent decided to make her appearance. Rydia stood on the floor outside the ring in front of the announce table. She could hear Michael Cole, JBL, and Jerry Lawler make comments on her presence at ringside. They were telling the people watching on TV that she was the new manager of Mia; but it was obvious to everyone that they were related. They looked too much alike not to be.

"Let's Light It Up' cut Mia's tacky music off and the WWE Diva's Champion, AJ Lee, made her way skipping down to the ring. Tamina followed her down the ramp and stopped short when she saw Rydia on the other side of the ring. She looked up at AJ confused. AJ shrugged her shoulders and proceeded to ignore the addition to ringside.

The bell rung, indicating the start of the match. Mia stared down AJ for a moment before locking up with her in the center of the ring. Rydia was amazing seeing everything up close and personal; but she couldn't help but feel like she was being watched and not from the thousands of spectators. Mia flipped AJ over onto her backside and kicked her back, making her arch up in pain. AJ rolled over on her belly and pushed herself back up to her feet.

Mia missed with a clothesline and was stopped by a dropkick to the face. Rydia's expression turned from excited to concerned. AJ's wicked smile graced her face and proceeded to pull Mia up by her hair. Tamina smiled and yelled at her partner to finish the match; but the second she yelled the words Mia pushed AJ's hands away and spun behind her, grabbing her waist with both arms. She lifted her up and over, delivering a German suplex. Mia quickly went for the cover and was quickly disappointed by AJ's kickout.

Rydia paced a little before settling down again. She tucked her hair behind her ears and the moment she did, she could have sworn that she heard her name being screamed by someone. Mia lifted AJ onto her shoulders and slammed her down in a vicious powerbomb. The sound made Rydia forget all about the person in the crowd. Her smile returned and just as Mia covered AJ the arena went black.

'Live in Fear' began playing and the four women knew that The Wyatt Family was making their way to ring. When the lights came back on Bray Wyatt was sitting in his signature rocking chair and the other two members were inside the ring staring down AJ and Mia. Rydia slid into the ring and pulled on her sister's arm.

Tamina pulled AJ out of the ring and they ran through the crowd to escape the carnage that was obvious to occur. Luke Harper closed in on the left side of the sisters and Erick Rowan, with his mask still on, closed in on the right side. The crowd was beginning to chant for The Shield much to the pleasure of Bray Wyatt. His twisted smile was giving the sister's the chills along with the close proximity of the other members.

Luke knelt down and pulled up on Mia's arm, lifting her to her feet. Erick lifted Rydia up and the second they did so 'Special Op' started up and they turned their attention the crowd they were famous for entering from. Neither man let go of the sister's and Bray finally stood up from his chair. Dean Ambrose was the first to climb the barricade, followed by Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. The trio circled the ring like a pack of wolves ready to dive for the kill.

Rydia's eyes searched Mia's for a moment, looking for reassurance. She didn't like to be held by Erick. It reminded her of Nick's harsh grip the night he hit her. She swallowed the lump in her throat when the trio jumped onto the apron of the ring. Roman started down Erick Rowan and he removed his mask to reveal his long red beard and pale face.

The moment Bray Wyatt entered the ring was the moment Dean lunged at Luke Harper. Luke released Mia and she rolled outside the ring. Rydia yanked her arm free and moved away just quick enough to see Roman deliver a spear to Erick. The sister's ran back to the backstage area and took a breather that was much needed.

**Backstage (Off screen)**

Rydia touched her arm in the place that Erick had held a firm grip on. Mia noticed instantly the scared look on her face. "Erick wouldn't really hurt you, you know that right?" She explained; but she knew that it was a subconscious thing that couldn't really be helped.

"I know. It just brought back bad thoughts with Nick." Rydia answered.

It made sense. It was only three days since she found Rydia huddling on the floor in her kitchen. They walked into the locker-room and started to pack up their belongings. Rydia pulled out a bottle of perfume and sprayed herself twice before throwing it back in the bag. "We should go out and celebrate your debut tonight." Mia suggested.

"Oh, you think so?"

She didn't know what to say, because it brought back once again that she still hadn't answered Roman about a drink tonight. Mia lifted up her bag and stepped towards her zoned out sister. "Come on Ry, you need to get your mind off Nick. Didn't Roman ask you out for a drink tonight anyway?"

"Yeah and I need to go find him. I'll be right back."

Rydia opened the door and walked out into the hallway. Roman was talking with Dean and Seth at the end of the hall. She watched him a moment before approaching. He ran a hand through his wet dark hair. The heels of her shoes clicked on the linoleum floor and they turned their attention to her. "Something you need, princess?" Dean asked with a smile.

"I actually came to talk to Roman for a minute." She replied.

Seth looked at Roman and gave him a teasing smile. Dean looked a little stunned for a moment; but raised his hands up innocently. Roman rolled his eyes at his friends and gently placed his hand on the dip in her lower back. "It's alright baby girl, come on. They are acting like children." He commented.

Roman led her around the corner and away from the teasing children that were Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins. Rydia's palms were becoming sweaty as her nerves were making her stomach flutter. "I'm sorry that I didn't get to answer you earlier tonight. As you could see it was important."

"Yes, congratulations by the way."

"Thanks; but that's not why I'm here. I'm here to say that I'll be out tonight; so if you want to have a drink I'm okay with that."

"I'll be there. Where are you going?"

"I honestly don't know. Just follow Mia's car."

He smiled and stepped aside to let her walk back to the locker-room. When he got back to the corner Dean and Seth were still talking in, all he got was childish laughing. Roman groaned at the behavior. "So what did she have to talk to you about?" Seth asked.

"She just said that she was going out with Mia tonight."

Dean perked up at the mentioning of Mia's name. Now it was Roman's turn to laugh childishly. He knew Mia was Dean's biggest weakness and he didn't bother to hide it anymore.

**The Club**

Mia and Rydia sat down at a small round table with their drinks. The music swirled around them and changed their solemn moods to upbeat and happy. Rydia looked around silently looking for Roman. "Are you looking for Roman?" Mia asked.

"No, just looking around." She lied knowing that she really was.

"You are horrible at lying."

Rydia ignored her comment and took a sip from her cup. The excitement was still running fresh through her body. She was still waiting for Stephanie and Hunter's comments on her performance. Mia smiled seeing the happiness on her sibling's face. It was like she could feel for herself. She felt a hand touch her shoulder and instantly, she turned to see who was behind her.

"Do mind if I borrow this seat?" Roman asked with a smile.

"Uh...sure...I guess." Mia replied hesitantly.

She stood up and Roman slid around her to occupy the seat. His hair clung to his blue t-shirt, also framing his face from an angle. Mia turned back to wink at Rydia before going down to the second floor. Nikki and Brie were leaning against the bar waiting for their drinks. The music changed to a slower one and Mia attempted to move towards the bar before having her arm snatched by someone.

"Hey Mia, wanna dance?" Dean asked

"Not really." She replied.

"Rydia is fine. She's with Roman. Trust me he won't let her out of his sight."

Looking up to the top level, she saw Rydia laughing with Roman. He was paying close attention to her and that made her relax enough to accept Dean's hand. She turned her back to him, swaying her hips along his hands. He leaned into the nape of her neck, breathing in her scent. His hand took hold of her hips and spun her to face him.

"You look absolutely stunning tonight." He complimented.

"Thank you." She replied with a smile, feeling the heat in her cheeks.

Rydia took a sip from her newly filled cup. Roman watched her with attentive eyes. He liked how conservative she was being. She dressed sexy; but it was in a tasteful way. The healing bruises were still bothering him and he wanted to ask her how she got them; but at the same time he didn't want to scare her off.

"So why travel with Mia?" He asked.

"It's a long story and one I'm not sure I'm ready to talk about." She answered honestly.

"I've got time; but if you don't want to, I won't push."

There was nothing but sincerity on his face and in his eyes. She felt like she could trust him and seeing Mia below dancing with Dean only confirmed her instincts. Roman saw the hesitation on her face. He didn't know what it was about her that screamed at him. She seemed like a lost woman that needed someone to help her find her way.

"I came to get away from my life in Dallas. My ex-boyfriend abused me and pretty much wouldn't take no for an answer. That's where these bruises you've been looking at came from."

"I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't. It's alright. Nick and I were part of a cover band of international metal/rock artists. We were together for five years before I caught him cheating with one of his groupies. I left the band shortly after and it wasn't long after we broke up he came back asking for me to take him back."

"I'm assuming you told him no."

"Yeah...but that's when he got violent."

Roman saw the struggle on her face and could hear it in her voice. He wanted to console her somehow; but didn't know what she'd accept. He opted for just taking a hold of her hand and rubbing the pad of his thumb across her soft skin. She lifted her head to look him dead in the eyes. "I'm glad you decided to travel with Mia. You needed a fresh start from something like that."

"I agree."

Once the song switched to a faster one, Mia attempted to walk away from Dean to avoid another awkward conversation; but he held her hand, preventing her from doing what she wanted. She turned to face him. His blue eyes softened and he reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. The gesture made her heart skip a beat.

"Thank you." He said suddenly.

"For what?"

"Dancing with me. I know you didn't want to."

"You're welcome, I'll see you later okay."

"Yeah..."

She walked away from him. He moved away from the crowd and towards the bar where Seth Rollins occupied. Dean sat down next to him and asked for a beer from the bartender. "Are you alright, man?" Seth asked.

"Fine."

"You don't look fine."

"Don't worry about Mia, she's just a stuck on herself bitch anyway." A voice interrupted.

Dean and Seth turned to see a man on the right side of them wear a Lakers ball cap. He had shaggy brown eyes and dark eyes. There was a small earring in his right ear. Dean glared at him, wondering who he was to be talking about her in such a way.

"Who the hell are you? What do you know about her?" Dean snapped.

"I know plenty. I also know that you buddy up there better not get any ideas of getting with my woman."

"Dude, Rydia isn't anyone's." Seth replied.

"Oh she is. She belongs to me."

In that moment, Dean knew who he was. The fear for Mia and Rydia's safety was climbing to surface. Nick's smile turned from arrogant to wicked in a spit second. He knew that he needed to get the sister's to safety as quickly as possible; but he honestly didn't know how.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author Note: A big thanks goes out toJohnsAngel22, CrazyAndAlive, Emzy2k11, and Leasha Orton for the great reviews from the last chapter. Another big thanks goes to Maynahchick and BrittanyNAltheide for becoming followers of this story. This story wouldn't be what it is without all of you guys; so I hope you all enjoy the new chapter.**

"_**A house of red light**_

_**Burns like your wanting eyes**_

_**The rain is away**_

_**And we say**_

_**When we say"**_

_**'Play with Fire' by: The Birthday Massacre**_

Chapter 6: Protective

Dean studied the man's exterior, looking for anything that would him a clue as to why he was there. It was obvious that this wasn't the first time Nick had stalked someone. Seth didn't like the tension between them and was completely confused about what was going on around him. He could still see Mia at the bar and deep down he hoped that she wouldn't turn around to see what was going on.

"Why are you even here?" Dean asked.

"So you know who I am then? Mia must have a big mouth." Nick replied.

"DON'T! Don't talk about her!"

The rage was boiling to the surface within Dean. He hated having the nutcase talk about Mia the way he was. His eyes rose to the top level, scanning for Rydia and Roman. They were still seated at the same tiny table talking, which in his mind was a good thing at the present moment. Nick took a step closer with confidence. He was outnumbered; but yet he was still full of confidence.

"You two know nothing about Rydia, so why are you protecting her?" Nick asked curiously.

"We don't need to know. If she's anything like Mia, then she's the sweetest most caring person in the world." Seth replied.

Nick burst into laughter at the comment. He took the Lakers cap off his head and ran a hand through his shaggy sandy brown hair. "Oh boy, you guys really don't know anything. She's the opposite of that. Rydia is pretty damn selfish."

"Why, because she doesn't want you anymore." Dean commented.

Mia turned from the bar to see the worst person standing only inches away from Dean and Seth. Panic encased her whole body and she dropped her cup to the floor, spilling its contents on the feet of the people around her. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably. It was so bad that she couldn't hear the people's complaints around her. Instinct was the only things she had left. She looked for Rydia and let out a breath of relief when she saw that she was still in conversation with Roman.

"Walk away guys, please get away." Mia pleaded in a whisper.

There was nothing more painful in her eyes than to watch innocent people get dragged into something that didn't involve them. It was at that moment that she realized that Dean was serious about protecting Rydia and herself. That fact made her want to enter the conversation to protect them.

"Nick! It isn't them your looking for is it?" Mia asked unconsciously closing the distance between them.

Nick looked away from the two protective males and turned his attention towards the panic stricken younger sister of the woman he laid claim to. Dean wanted to pull her close to him and tuck her safely away; but was afraid of what would happen if he tried. A toothy grin appeared on Nicked lips before he lifted two fingers up to them. A loud whistle was expelled. The sound alerted Mia to something far worse.

Three other men stood up from different tables around the bar. Mia recognized them as the band members from Rydia's cover band 'Endless Dreams'. If her sister saw them in such a way, it would break her heart even more than it already was.

"What did you do? Pay them with money daddy gave you." Mia asked in a harsh voice.

**Upper Level**

Rydia watched as Roman returned with yet another drink. She still sipping on her first one when he had just gotten his third one. She tried to hold back a giggle when he sat back down; but it was unsuccessful. "What?" He asked.

"Nothing, I'm just a really slow drinker I guess." She answered.

"There is nothing wrong with that."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Do you think I did okay tonight?"

Roman looked into her bright blue eyes, searching for a reason as to why she had asked the question. There was an obvious amount of self-doubt behind them. "You did great, Rydia. There is no reason to doubt yourself. I can honestly say that I think Stephanie will continue to use you." He replied.

His answer made her heart swell with a happiness she hadn't felt in years. The song changed to one she recognized. 'Play with Fire' by The Birthday Massacre. The song brought back memories from her days singing her heart out night after night in clubs all over Texas. It was one of her personal favorites to do, because she sang it alone.

"I love this song." She said without thinking.

"Was this one you redid?"

"Yeah..."

Roman wanted to hear for himself the voice she was talking about; but didn't want to push her. He realized that she was fragile and would have to be gentle with her. His eyes looked down for a moment to see a man standing in front of Dean, Seth, and Mia. He also had three others behind him in a gang formation. Something wasn't right about the situation and he wanted to go down to see it for himself; but there was something that prevented him from doing so, a need to get Rydia far away.

"Ry, I think we should leave." He said suddenly.

"Why?" She asked.

"There is going to be a fight and it looks like it could get ugly."

"What about Mia? I can't just leave her here."

"She's with Dean. He will make sure she'd alright."

Roman helped Rydia up from her chair. They walked out of the club into the night's chilled air. The feeling of being protective was overwhelming him in those moments of seeing the others engaging in harsh words. He hoped that he did the right thing by taking her out of the building.

Rydia looked up at his stern facial expression and wondered exactly what was running through his mind. There was urgency in his voice when he asked her to leave with him. She couldn't understand what would make him do what he did unless it was about Dean and Mia.

**The Club**

Mia felt overwhelmed by fear. There were four men standing in front of them. She didn't want anything to happen to Dean or Seth. They were innocent in all that messed up drama. Dean reached over and pulled at Mia's arm, moving her safely behind him. "Stay behind us, okay." Seth stated.

"Wait! You can't do this. You are outnumbered. Please!" Mia pleaded fighting to get in front of them.

"Yes, you might want to listen to the whore. You guys don't have a chance in the world of winning a fight against us." Nick interrupted.

Without a second thought, Dean lunged at Nick. His fist connected with the side of his jaw, jerking his head to the side. Blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth. Mia closed her eyes, not wanting to see anymore violence. Nick wiped the blood away with the pad of his thumb. "Okay, consider this you're last warning." He stated before punching Dean in the same place he had been punched.

Nick backed away with the other band members, leaving the small trio to figure things out on their own. Mia rushed to Dean's side. He looked at her as he wiped the blood away from the side of his mouth and spitting out the red tinted saliva from inside his mouth. She was horrified with the actions that had just transpired seconds earlier.

"I'm going to check on Roman and Rydia." Seth stated and walked away.

"Thank you. I'll take Dean back to the hotel." Mia replied.

They shared a sibling like smile with each other before returning to their duties on hand. Dean's hands were still clenched into fists. The skin in his palms were beginning to crack and bleed from the pressure. Mia reached out and took his closed hand into her warm grasp. The instant her skin touched his, he let go and released his hand flat.

"Come on, I got a first aid kit in the car."

Dean couldn't find words to say to her. There were so many things he wanted to tell her; but he didn't want to scare her away. His feelings for her were growing by the day and it scared him to no end. It didn't scare him as much as the thought of loosing her completely. Nick was relentless and he knew it by just watching his actions.

The drive back to the hotel was spent in silence. Mia didn't know what to say to him or how to thank him for standing up for her. She came to the conclusion that tonight Nick wasn't really after Rydia, he was after her. He wanted to break her down and make it easier for him to be forceful with Rydia. She was bound and determined never to let that happen.

**The Hotel**

Roman walked Rydia to the door of the room she shared with Mia. Her nerves were accelerating as her palms became even more sweaty. She found him to be the most gorgeous man her eyes had laid on for quite some time. "Thank you for the drink tonight." She said leaning against the door.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you accepted." He replied with a smile that could melt the ice in any woman's frozen heart.

"I'll see you tomorrow sometime then?"

"Probably..."

He trailed off not really knowing if he'd see her or not. He needed to talk to Dean and make him talk about what happened at the club and explain to him about the overwhelming need to protect Rydia. He knew there just had to be a reason why he felt that way.

Rydia turned to unlock the door when she felt his hand take a hold of hers, slipping something inside her palm. Looking down at the piece of paper in her hand, she saw the numbers in black ink. It was his phone number. The thumping of her heart was heard inside her ears as she tried to calm herself down. It had been a long time since she was in that kind of a situation.

"Text or call me whenever you want."

"Thank you."

"Goodnight, beautiful."

"Goodnight." She replied blushing at his compliment.

He smiled before walked away. She slipped inside her room, hoping that Mia was inside. The room was dark and there was no sign of her sister had been there at all. She remembered Roman saying that Mia was with Dean at the club. The thought brought another smile to her lips. She really hoped that Mia would stop fighting her attraction to Dean; but it also brought back the thoughts of the fight in the club.

"Was it them?" She asked herself.

Mia walked next to Dean until they reached his room. She held the first aid kit tightly in her hand. He opened the door and allowed her entrance first. She sat the box down on the stand next to the bed. He sat down on the edge running his tongue along the inside of his mouth. There were two splits from his teeth being pressed into the tender skin.

"Dean, you didn't need to do that." She started to say before he held his hand up to silence her.

"Yes, I did. No one will ever talk about you that way in my presence."

She pulled out an instant ice pack from the box. Squeezing the center, it quickly became cold enough for her to apply to his swollen lip. He cringed at the singing pain from her touch. Mia felt the guilt rise up above all the other emotions she was feeling. The guilt in telling him about Nick in the first place.

"I'm sorry." She apologized.

"You have nothing to be sorry about."

"I shouldn't have told you about Nick in the first place. He probably would have left you guys alone."

Dean reached up and took hold of her hand that was holding the ice pack then he used his other hand to cup her cheek. Her ice blue eyes were glassy with tears once more. "Look at me, Mia." He whispered.

She did as he asked and looked directly at him. The softness returned to his eyes; but there was something else that made her heart skip a beat; the longing that was evident in the blue orbs of his eyes. "I would have done the same thing tonight, even if I didn't know who he was. No matter what you say, I'm going to protect you and Rydia."

Without thinking, she leaned in closer towards his lips. She hesitated only one before securing them upon his. His hand left hers and reached behind her head, tangling his fingers in her dark curls. The feeling of her lips on his was overbearing his senses to think straight. Her lips were soft and perfect for him please.

Her hand dropped the ice pack to the floor before gripping his t-shirt. His lips felt too good to let go right away. She savored the feeling of his skilled kisses upon her lips. He broke away to her surprise. His eyes were lust coated; but still in control of his actions.

"What was that for?" He asked.

"It's a thank you for standing up for me tonight. I didn't think anyone but Rydia ever would."

"Well now you know that I will."

He leaned in again, kissing her lips once more. She backed away to his disappointment. There were things that she needed to sort through among the other ones about protecting Rydia from Nick. Dean was confused as to why she continued to fight him. There was obviously a connection between them and he wanted to explore it more. If only he could get her to stop fighting against him.

"I'm not going to give up on you." He stated the moment she opened the door to leave.

"I didn't expect you to. In fact, I don't want you to."

Mia walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against it placing her fingers on her lips, remembering the feeling of his kiss. He was breaking her walls down quicker than she wanted. It scared her. She didn't want to fall for someone and then get hurt in the crossfire of this dangerous situation with Nick.

"Mia!" Roman called.

She looked up to see him. His face held such a confused expression. He stopped walking just short of her position in the hall. She could tell that he wanted to ask her something. "What's wrong? Is Rydia okay?" She asked.

"She's fine; but I want to know what the hell happened tonight?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw the guy in front of you. Dean was protecting you, why?"

Mia let out a sigh of regret. She knew since the night before when she told Dean about Nick that she'd eventually have to tell all of them. Roman was probably the most aware of the group and would see through the lies they told to hide it.

"That guy was Nick Grayson, Rydia's ex-boyfriend. He showed himself last night at the club as well. He wants Rydia back and will do anything to get it, even hurt people."

She moved her arm to show him the bruises Nick had left. It answered the question as to why he felt the need to protect Rydia. She was in need of protecting and above all else she was oblivious as to what was happening behind the scenes. "Please don't tell her. She's fragile enough right now. This will break her down even more." Mia pleaded.

"Fine; but who were the others behind him?"

"The other members of Rydia's cover band. They were close to her and that's another reason why you can't tell her. It will break her heart completely."

All Roman could do was nod his head. The anger he felt was beyond words; but the determination was even more a priority. He knew that Rydia was special; so special that he wanted to know her that much more and that was exactly what he planned to do.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author Note: Once again, I've been surprisingly blown away with the reception I have gotten for this story. Thanks goes to Leasha Orton, AngelsDestiny22, JeweledLotus and Guest for the reviews. Another thanks goes to Nightwing's Gal, munkeynuts23, NESSAANCALIME6913 and SocialPorcupine for following this story. This chapter is going to be mostly Mia based. Enjoy reading the new chapter!**

"_**We're too numb to feel**_

_**The downfall starts right here**_

_**Hold your breath and swim**_

_**Swallowed my life's tear"**_

_**'Dead End' by: In Flames**_

Chapter 7: Riddles

The next morning was hard on Mia. The second night in a row seeing Nick made the reality of him stalking Rydia that much more real. She also had to come to terms with the fact that she had kissed Dean Ambrose. Ever since telling him about Nick, she had been seeing him differently. A difference that scared her.

"Mia are you alright? You seem upset." Rydia asked pulling her shirt down by the hem.

"I'll be fine. There are some things I need to sort out alone." She replied.

Rydia let out a sigh of frustration and proceeded to turn her sister around to face her. She knew there was something bothering her and also knew that Mia was stubborn to talk about anything personal. "This is about Dean, isn't it?"

"I never could get anything passed you. Damn that persistent empathic like ability of yours."

"I'm not empathic. I just know you that's all."

Mia smiled while quickly throwing her hair up into a ponytail. There was no denying that they had a bond that was twin-like. Rydia began to hum a song that was awfully familiar to Mia and it brought back memories of a two years ago when she first started in the WWE. The first week after arriving she found herself extremely attracted to Randy Orton.

Randy had been the first male superstar to talk to her. His voice warmed her to unnatural levels and before long she started to pursue him. He was receptive after working with her for a month. Rydia had done a show in Fort Worth, Texas a year into their relationship and dedicated the song 'All Yours' by Hydria to her and Randy. "Can you stop humming that song, please?" Mia asked.

"I'm sorry. Still can't listen to it can you?"

"No. It's still painful to think about."

"You're over him aren't you? I mean Dean seems to have wormed his way inside your heart."

Mia stopped packing her bag instantly. Her eyes automatically closed and a replay of the kiss she shared with Dean ran through her mind. The same flutter of butterflies appeared in her stomach and the heat rose to her cheeks, turning them a shade of pink. She didn't want to feel things for him; but the more she denied it, the more she knew it was true.

"I realize that you don't want to get hurt again after Randy broke your heart; but I seriously doubt that is Dean's intention." Rydia interrupted.

"No...it's not..."

Down the hall, Dean walked out of his hotel room pulling his bag behind him. Normally he would be walking with a smile; but today there was no such smile. He was utterly confused about Mia. In moments of weakness, she opened up to him; but they were only when Nick would show himself. He had vowed to her that he would protect her and Rydia from him; but Mia still remained close minded about it.

"Yo Dean, you alright?" Seth asked catching up with him.

"I've got a lot on my mind today."

"You mean a lot of Mia is on your mind. I think you need to tell me what's going on. Who was that last night?"

It had slipped his mind that Seth knew nothing about Nick and the danger he was to the sisters. He took the time to explain everything to him before they reached the lobby. Roman was waiting for them, catching their attention by a wave of his hand. "Let's get out of here?" Dean stated.

"Dean, I think we should talk about last night." Roman suggested.

"What's to talk about? That douche bag wants to torture Mia and Rydia. That's all there is to it." He snapped.

Seth and Roman exchanged a glance, silently telling each other that they understood his desire to protect them; even from something that was beyond personal. There wasn't another word spoken on the subject as they walked out of the hotel. Roman felt his phone vibrate from inside his pocket. He slipped it into his hand noticing the symbol for a text message.

Opening the message with a flick of his fingertip, he scanned the words _**"Turn around"**_ before turning to see Rydia standing there with a smile on her face. Mia stood behind her with a solemn expression that confused him.

"Hey." Roman greeted with a smile.

"How are you guys today?" Rydia asked oblivious to the previous conversation.

"Could be better." Dean snapped.

Mia raised an eyebrow to his snippy attitude. The only thing she could do was blame herself for his outburst. She had been the one to kiss him and then leave him hanging. Rydia was taken aback by his outburst as well, not really understanding his reason behind it.

"Why don't you tone your attitude down, Dean? Just because you're mad at me doesn't give you the right to snap at her." Mia stated crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh, I'm not mad at you." He replied stepping closer to her, running a hand through his hair.

Her heart began to race. The difference this time around was the fact they had an audience. She hated that her body betrayed her wishes. Rydia could feel that her sister was uncomfortable with everyone around her. She snapped her fingers and the other two members of The Shield looked at her puzzled.

"Come on, let's give them some space. How about we go for coffee, my treat?" Rydia suggested.

"Sure..." Seth said hesitating in walking away from a combustible situation.

"Come on Seth, let them hash it out alone." Roman stated laying his hand on the small of Rydia's back.

Mia watched as everyone left her alone with the man she didn't trust herself alone with. Dean stared at her intently. There were so many things he wanted to say to her; but in reality he knew that he couldn't say any of them. He realized that Mia was just as fragile as Rydia was. His hand instinctively reached out to cup her cheek. It was the same gesture he had done several times over the last few days.

"Why can't you just let me in?" He whispered.

"You know why." She whispered back.

"I'm not Randy, Mia. I never have been and I never will be."

"Yes, Randy broke my heart; but that's not the only reason and you know it."

He let out a sigh and retracted his hand away from her face. If having her broken heart to mend was hard enough; but now he had to convince her that Nick wouldn't harm him. He knew her all too well. She was protective of the people she cared about and would never let anyone get hurt because her. "I told you several times that I will protect you and Rydia from him. You can't scare me away because of this problem."

"I'm not going to let you get hurt because of me. I don't care how much we want each other."

Mia stepped out around him, intending on following the others to get coffee; but Dean had other ideas. He grabbed her hand, spun her around and pulled her into his arms. She couldn't believe that she had just admitted to wanting him. His 'Old Spice' scent waved under her nose before she felt his lips capture hers. Inside, her mind and heart were at war with each other. Her heart wanted to enjoy the moment; but her mind screamed at her about the dangers.

Her lips moved across his eagerly, barely letting her tongue slip through their parted lips. Mia's hands gripped at his hoddie, trying to hold onto him out of desperation. Dean separated away from her just as she was warming up to him. She opened her eyes slowly to see his smile. "You need to trust me, Mia. Even if he managed to hurt me, I'd still be there for you."

"Well now that was a show." A voice sounded behind them.

They froze and turned to see a man they always cringed upon seeing. Bray Wyatt stood there with a wicked smile that sent a chill up Mia's spine. Dean took her hand, twining his fingers with hers. Bray's smile grew wider upon seeing the gesture. "Since when is our lives any of your business?" Dean asked.

"Everyone's business is in his eyes now." Bray replied.

The busted couple looked at each other, confused. His words were a riddle that made little sense to them.

**Downtown Coffee Shop**

"So what were you doing while living in Texas?" Seth asked curiously.

"I was part of a cover band called 'Endless Dreams' and I was a bartender." Rydia replied.

"So you were a singer?"

"Yeah...I gave that up when I broke up with my ex. I just don't think I have it in me anymore."

Roman finished drinking his coffee and remained attentive to what she was saying; although, he had already heard this from her the night before. Rydia was worried for Mia. It wasn't like her to hold everything she was feeling inside. They always shared their secrets with each other. She stared into the dark pool of her coffee.

"Rydia." Mia's voice interrupted her train of thought.

"What took you guys so long?" Seth asked.

"Nothing really. The boardwalk is ultra crowded today." Dean lied.

Rydia was becoming frustrated with the obvious lies everyone around her had been telling her the past couple of days. The grip on her cup tightened and before long she had squeezed the paper cup in half, spilling the contents all over the table. "Why the hell are all of you lying to me? There is obviously something going on around this group." Rydia snapped.

Roman understood her frustration. He wanted to tell her that her ex was stalking her; but it was better for her not to know. Mia was desperate to keep Nick a secret, so there was only one thing she could say that take her mind off the lying within the group. "I kissed Dean last night." She admitted. Dean looked over at her curiously.

"What?" Seth and Roman asked at the same time confused at the confession.

"What about today? You were gone for like twenty minutes." Rydia asked again.

"We were talking about it and ended up kissing again. I wanted to tell you; but I'm struggling. We both are."

"Speak for yourself. I'm not struggling with anything. It's you that won't let me in."

Rydia looked from her sister to Dean. There was absolutely no lie in their eyes. She saw Dean reach under the table for Mia's hand.

**Downtown LA**

Bray Wyatt approached a man sitting alone at an outdoor cafe. He wore a tight black t-shirt with a skull upon the front and faded boot cut jeans. His shaggy sandy brown hair fell into eyes upon looking up from the newspaper. Bray pulled out the chair across from the stranger and sat down. "What did you learn about little Mia Chandler?" The stranger asked.

"She definitely involved with Dean Ambrose on a close level. I'd say she the tougher of the two sister." Bray answered.

"Rydia has strength; but she hides it well. Keep watch on both of them; but mostly Mia for right now. I need to break Rydia down before I make my move."

"I like the way you think, Nick."

Nick smiled and then slide a brown paper bag across the table. Bray took hold of it and opened it to see a couple thousand dollars in cash. It wasn't the total payment and he knew it; but didn't argue. He trusted Nick to give him the rest when he had even more useful information about the sisters. "Oh and one more thing, Bray." Nick asked standing up from the table.

"What's that?"

"Do everything in your power to keep Roman Reigns away from Rydia. I don't need them developing a relationship."

All Bray could do was smile with the order. He loved the idea of making their lives a living hell without them even knowing it. Luke Harper and Erick Rowan quietly approached their leader sitting alone at the table that once occupied their business partner. "So what's the word?" Luke asked.

"We got work to do boys, let's go." Bray replied and laughed a hollow laugh.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author Note: Thanks goes to loveactually, MariaDimension, LivHardy, lovethemafia, emmasmummy and Becka D for becoming followers to this story. Also, thanks goes to Leasha Orton, AngelsDestiny22 and LivHardy for the awesome reviews. This story wouldn't be what it is without the great encouragement from all of you readers.**

"_**Standing here helpless**_

_**Where do I go**_

_**If you leave me alone**_

_**Where do I turn now**_

_**If it don't work out**_

_**As far as I can see**_

_**This isn't the way**_

_**That you said it would be..."**_

_**'Stranded' by Heart**_

Chapter 8: The Promise

"Come on Rydia, you can do this!" Mia shouted from the floor outside the practice ring.

"Shut it, Mia. I'm trying to concentrate!" Rydia shouted back.

"Pay attention!" A deep harsh voice interrupted the sibling quarrel.

Rydia turned her attention back to her trainer inside the ring. It had been five days since Stephanie McMahon and Hunter approved of her acting abilities. They sent her to be trained with someone they trusted to do the job correctly and that was none other than Randy Orton. Mia sucked up her bitter hatred for him to be present as often as she could.

"Do it again." Randy stated.

Rydia ran towards the ropes, using them as leverage to launch herself into Randy's body. He fell flat on his back and a smile curved his lips. She impressed him and caught on quick. He also took great enjoyment in watching them argue. He knew that Mia was uncomfortable being there around him and even he was uncomfortable being around her. There was too much history between then that just couldn't be forgotten.

"Much better this time around." Randy commented.

"Thank you." Rydia answered quietly.

"Yeah, now let's review. Lock up."

Rydia did as she was told. She locked up with Randy in the center of the ring. His hands held firm on her shoulders as were hers on his. "Good, arm takeover." He ordered. She flipped him over her shoulder by hooking her arm with his.

"Very good, now try the sleeper hold."

Her arm snaked around his neck, holding it in the crock of her elbow. She applied pressure but held back so as not to actually harm him. He had warned her about the risks involved with using the move. His hand wrapped around her hand and used his upper body strength to pull her grip apart. He flipped her onto her back.

"Not bad for a beginner." He complimented holding his hand out to her.

She ignored his gesture and got up on her own. Rydia didn't like the idea of him trainer her to become a wrestler; but as part of the company, she didn't complain about it. Randy took the hint that she still held a grudge against him for breaking up with Mia and backed away from her. "Alright let me ask one question before I say you're dismissed." He asked.

"And what's that?" Rydia asked.

"Do you think you are ready to take bumps? I know you have to take one tomorrow night on live TV."

"I'm fine, I'll see you in the morning."

Rydia stepped out of the ring and placed her hand on Mia's shoulder. Randy leaned against the ropes and watched them walk away. There were days when he missed Mia's company and others he just missed her entirely. He wanted to tell her that he was sorry; but she had been so hostile every time he tried. He didn't blame her at all.

"So how are you feeling?" Mia asked Rydia as they stepped outside the building.

"Great! I feel like going for a run."

"Can't really do that around here."

Mia studied her sister closely. There was something deep within that she was trying to bury. Whether it had to do with Nick, she didn't know; but the fact that she was obsessed with staying busy for the last five days rose a red flag to her brain. The warm breeze caressed Rydia's cheeks. It made her think about Roman. There was something about him that drew her in. In fact, she couldn't wait until the next day so she could see him.

"Mind telling me what's wrong." Mia insisted.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You think I haven't noticed that you've been drowning yourself in things to keep you busy so you don't have think?"

Rydia stopped walking almost instantly. It came as no surprise to her that Mia would have picked up on her new behavior. Mia tucked a stray chunk of her hair behind her ear and waited patiently for her sister to answer her accusation. "Look, there is just too much on my mind all at once. I thought working myself at something all the time would help me forget about it all."

"You can't run from it, Ry. Nick did what he did because he's insane. It had nothing to do with you and it wasn't your fault. You need to understand that."

"That's not even all of it."

"What else is there?"

She asked the question before he brain caught up with her mouth. A smile formed on her perfectly shaped lips at her realization. "It's wrong to feel this way so quickly. It makes it look like I'm on the rebound and I'm not." Rydia expressed tear stricken. Mia wrapped her arms around her older sister lovingly. No words were exchanged; but both knew what the other would have said. All she needed to do was comfort her.

**Monday Night Raw, Before Show**

Sounds of clicking heels on the floor were heard as Mia and Rydia walked into the arena. Bright green earbuds were visible in Rydia's ears. The flow of music was mentally preparing her for the upcoming match she would be involved in. As scripted, she would have to take a bump; but she wouldn't actually have a match until she was fully trained by Randy.

"Rydia!" Roman's voice yelled from down the hall.

Mia turned to look at her engulfed sister. She reached up and pulled out one of the her buds. Rydia protested in anger. at the loss of music in her ear. Mia ignored her testy reaction and pointed behind her. Rydia turned around to see Roman approaching them. She instantly became lost for words. His dark eyes held warms and a longing behind them that just melted her entire core.

"How has the training been going?" He asked.

"Good, she's a natural." Mia answered.

"That's awesome. Is Randy treating you alright?"

Mia groaned at the mentioning of his name. The bitterness that she had buried now rose to surface, bringing back the memories she didn't want to remember. Dean and Seth turned the corner laughing at the contents of a piece of paper in Seth's hand. "What's up girls?" Dean asked settling himself from the fit of laughter.

"Nothing really. We just got here." Mia answered in a soft voice, trying desperately to hide her excitement to see him.

"How is the training going, Rydia?" Seth inquired.

"Oh that's right, I forgot that she's training to be one of us." Dean teased wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

Rydia felt completely at ease around them, despite having an arm around her shoulder. Mia shrugged and smiled at the display of affection. It was exactly what she needed to stop thinking about Nick and quite possibly stop drowning herself in work. "It's going pretty well I'd say. Randy told me told that I was pretty good for a beginner."

Roman frowned at the sound of Randy's name escaping her lips. He didn't like the idea of him training her; but he wasn't in a position to argue with authority on the subject that was already touchy to begin with. Seth noticed his friend's difference in attitude and smiled to himself. He knew that Roman fancied the dark haired, blue eyed beauty that stood before him and he wondered how much longer he would wait before he admitted it.

"It won't be long before you will be one of us." Dean pointed out.

"Sorry to end this conversation so early; but I need to go over some things with Ry before tonight." Mia interrupted.

"No problem. We will see you later." Seth injected pulling at the arms of his two buddies.

Once they had turned the corner, Mia shifted to look directed at her sister. The flush in her cheeks were fading away and her natural tone of skin was reforming. They stepped into the woman's locker-room to change into their attires for the night. Rydia unzipped her bag and dug through the mess of clothes that were scattered throughout.

"What did you need to go over with me?" Rydia asked trying to break the unnatural silence between them.

"I just want to make sure that you are ready for this. You can't back out once you're out there."

"I'm fine, Mia. I'm pretty confident that I can do this. You act like I'm going to get hit with a chair tonight."

"You just never know."

Rydia understood her little sister's concern; but it irritated her that it was that extreme. She pulled out a pair of light colored jeans with her favorite angel clipped belt. Pulling them on, she couldn't decided between the colors blue or green. Her eyes scanned both tops over and over again before she finally closed them and grabbed one.

"Ry?"

"Yeah..."

"Has Randy said anything about me when I'm not around?"

"Not a word; but he looks at you when you are there."

**Monday Night Raw, The Show**

Michael Cole, JBL and Jerry Lawler talked about the previous week, specifically about Mia and AJ Lee's match that was interrupted by The Wyatt Family. They also stated The Shield's presence as well. 'Light It Up' started up and the crowd started to boo the Diva's Champion upon entrance on stage. Tamina walked closely behind her protectively. AJ skipped around the ring before entering it. Her music was cut off by Mia's tacky trance-like entrance theme that Rydia hated with a passion.

Mia stepped out onto the stage dressed in bright blue halter top and matching shorts. Her long dark brown hair was pulled up in a classy ponytail. Rydia walked behind her dressed in the light colored jeans she had picked out earlier and a dark green scoop-neck crop top. The metal of her belly ring sparkled against the lighting of the arena.

Lilian Garcia announce both women and the referee called for the bell to start the match. Rydia stood in front of the announce table with her arms crossed over her chest. AJ and Mia locked up dead center of the ring. AJ turned around taking Mia's arm along with her, applying pressure to the joint at the shoulder. Mia slapped the joint to get feeling back into it before leaning forward to flip AJ onto her backside in front of her.

Mia kicked the smaller diva in the back sending her forward onto the mat. Using her upper body strength, she picked up AJ onto her shoulders. She wiggled out of the predicament, landing on her feet. Mia turned to attack; but was caught by a clothesline. A sly smile replaced the frown on the Diva's Champion's face. Tamina ripped the title belt from Lilian's hands and began to walk closer to the ring. AJ took the title from her hand and walked out on the match.

"This is pointless!" She screamed at the crowd.

Mia stood in the middle calling her a coward. Her anger obviously settling on her facial features. The lights went off in a similar fashion as the week before and when they came back on Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper were standing directly in front of Mia, while Erick Rowan was stalking Rydia on the outside.

Michael Cole was appalled by the display and continuously asked what was going on. Rydia backed up and climbed into the ring to stand beside her sister. The Wyatt Family formed a circle around them. The siblings tried to back away but were soon trapped in a corner. Mia ducked down to rolled out the bottom; but Bray quickly grabbed her ponytail.

"Mia!" Rydia shouted.

'Special Op' sounded and made the family look around for the owner of the music. Bray still held a tight grip on Mia's hair. Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns leapt over the barricade and rushed into the ring like madmen. Luke and Erick protected Bray and his captive. Rydia stayed in the corner watching the brawl unfold before her eyes.

Dean slipped through the two larger men to get to Bray. He let go of Mia's hair and delivered a huge right hand to Dean's jaw. Mia slipped out onto the floor and Dean was tossed out like piece of trash. She rushed to his side, asking if he was alright; but inside the ring, Seth was being overwhelmed by Luke Harper and Roman had his hands full with Erick Rowan. It left an opening for Bray to snag Rydia from the corner.

She struggled against his hold. Her hands pushing up against his to release her arm. Bray leaned her back with his arm around her neck. He was setting her up for his finisher called the 'Sister Abigail'. Mia looked up from Dean and saw the event taking place inside the ring. Trying to stay in character, she hoped that Rydia was ready for what was about to happen. Bray placed his lips on Rydia's forehead.

"His eyes are everywhere. Be careful of who you give your heart to." He whispered before concluding with the finisher.

She lay on her back with her eyes closed, listening to everything around her. The crowd boo'd them completely for their actions and once Roman was able to get away from Erick he went after Bray. The Family scattered and left the ring, their job completed. Mia rolled inside the ring and leaned over her fallen sister.

**After the Show**

Rydia sat on the bench in the locker-room going over Bray's words in her head over and over again. It seemed like a warning to her; but she didn't understand what it would mean. "Was he talking about Roman?" She thought. She looked up when the door opened. Mia walked in and sat down next to her.

"What's wrong hun?" She asked.

"Bray said something before he gave me his finisher. He said that 'his eyes are everywhere. Be care of who I give my heart to'."

Mia was confused. It was similar to the riddle he had told her and Dean five days ago. There was a meaning behind it; but she had a theory as to what was happening. She took Rydia's hand into her and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Come on, let's get out of here. Are you up for going out?" Mia asked.

"I don't know, maybe just for a little bit."

They quickly gathered their belongings and stepped out the door only to be greeted by Dean, Seth and Roman. All three had their bags in hand. Mia smiled, knowing that they would probably join them in their outing. "Dean, can I talk to you?" Mia asked.

"Uh...yeah. I'll ride with you. Rydia can ride with the others." He replied.

Rydia looked at Roman. His smile made her stomach flutter each and every time she saw it. He reached out a took her hand, pulling her closer. Seth placed his hand on her lower back, urging her forward. "We will see you there." Seth called out.

All five of them walked out into the parking lot. Roman opened the door for Rydia to enter on the passenger side front. Seth got into the backseat, while Roman climbed into the drivers seat. Mia hoped that she was wrong about her theory; but the way things have been playing out, she doubted that she was wrong.

"What's wrong?" Dean asked.

"Do you remember what Bray told us?"

"You mean that riddle we didn't understand?"

"Yes. Bray told Rydia something similar tonight in the ring."

Dean knew her enough to know when she was panicking. Her voice became higher pitched and faster spoken. He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against him. "Calm down. We will figure it out. She's out with all of us tonight. He'd be stupid to try something tonight." He softly spoke in her ear.

"He tried the last time and she was out with all of us then to." Mia replied.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"A split up? He's expecting us to stay in a group."

She shifted out of his arms a little. Nick was getting under her skin and The Wyatt Family's involvement was now making her fear grown even more. Dean wanted to comfort her and be there for her through all of the problems. His hand slid up her arm and hovered above her heart. "When are you going to let me in? I know your heart races when I'm near you. I can feel it beat a hundred miles a minute when I kiss you." He whispered in a seductive voice.

"I..." She tried to speak before he put a finger to her lips.

"Stop fighting your heart, Mia. We are stronger together, remember that."

Dean pulled his finger away and turned away from her. He opened the drivers side of her rental car before he realized that she still had the keys. He could only imagine what her face expressed if he were to turn back around to see it. Mia reached out to touch his hand, slipping the keys inside his palm. She didn't let go of his hand and mentally pleaded for him to face her.

The second he returned to face her, lips crashed upon his. His fingers tangled themselves in her hair, deepening the kiss even further. Her tongue slipped through his parted lips, playing the desperate part of needing to feel. He broke away for only a moment to look into her glassy blue eyes. "Mia..." He whispered.

"Don't you dare leave me, like he did." She cried.

"I'm not going anywhere. You can count on that, princess."

She sunk into his arms, feeling his lips on her forehead. He had tried for so long to make her understand that he care about her and now that her life was in danger he had proved it. He taken a punch to the jaw for her. How could she not feel for him. Now, if only, they could protect Rydia from the same danger that endangered her own well-being.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author Note: I would like to thank Leasha Orton and AngelVanguard for the reviews and Ashes2Dust18,mofee, and AngelVanguard for becoming followers to this story. I'll be honest, this story has been a challenge for me and I'm pretty pleased with the outcome so far. I hope you enjoy this new chapter. **

"_**As simple as air in your lungs,**_

_**As simple as words on your lips,**_

_**And no one should take that away,**_

_**No one should argue this**_

_**Now with our heads up high,**_

_**We'll carry on,**_

_**And carry out,**_

_**That we won't let them get us down,**_

_**Or wear us out,**_

_**'Cause we are not alone..."**_

_**'We Are The Others' by: Delain**_

Chapter 9: Fear

Rydia sat in the passenger seat of Roman's car. Everything on the inside was definitely him. Right down to the scent of the interior. Her eyes cautiously looked over at him. His expression held concern and worry. It wasn't something she thought she'd see on his face. He was obviously hiding something from her and she didn't like it.

"You did really well out there tonight." Seth complimented from the backseat.

"Thank you. So why are you guys being all secretive around me lately. Did something happen I should know about?" She asked.

Roman couldn't believe how perceptive she was. It would be creepy if he didn't already know how well in-tuned she was with everything around her. Seth wondered for how long they would be able to keep Nick a secret from her. It felt wrong to him. In his eyes, she deserved to know that her ex-boyfriend was stalking her.

A small beep sounded from Seth's phone. He reached into his pocket to retrieve it. A text message symbol lay in the corner of the screen. His fingertip swiped the screen, allowing him access to the contents of the message. _**"We aren't joining you tonight. Mia thinks Nick won't expect a split up. She believes he's after her, not Rydia right now."**_

"_**What about protection? You'll be alone!"**_ Seth typed and sent back.

"_**We will be fine, just look out for Rydia tonight."**_

Seth didn't like the situation at all and it was becoming harder to keep it a secret. He knew that Rydia would wonder where her sister and Dean were before long. He had to figure out an excuse that would be believable for the perceptive woman in the front seat.

"Mia and Dean aren't going with us tonight." Seth stated as calmly as possible, so he wouldn't alarm them.

"Why?" Roman asked.

"Said they needed to talk about some things..."

Roman knew that was a lie; but didn't pry anymore into the conversation. Rydia did her own mental thinking about what had been said. Mia was definitely hiding something from her and it had to do with Dean Ambrose. She didn't understand why her sister didn't trust her with the truth that was obviously right in front of her.

Rydia watched as Roman pulled into a crowded parking lot. She wondered where exactly they were going and in the back of her mind, something didn't feel right about being there. Seth got out of the backseat quickly and stepped forward to open the passenger door for Rydia. She smiled at him for the gentlemanly gesture.

"Where are we?" Rydia asked looking around at her surroundings.

"It's just a small club tonight. I'm not really in the mood to deal with large crowds. One drink and we will leave, okay?" Roman replied with a smile.

"Okay."

Rydia started to walk towards the entrance without waiting for the others to follow. Seth and Roman held back to they could talk quietly. "What's the real reason they aren't coming?" Roman asked softly.

"Mia thinks Nick won't suspect a split up. She believes he's after her right now and not Ry." Seth answered keeping his watchful eyes on the woman in front of them.

On the other side of the city, Mia and Dean walked into a different club. She was hoping the Bella twins would be there; but there was no sign of them. Dean laced his fingers with hers, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. It left a comforting feeling inside her heart, knowing that he was there with her. "Are you sure that you want to do this?" He asked.

"No; but if we don't then we risk her seeing him."

"We are still risking it even if we aren't there. There is no guarantee that he will follow us."

"You're right..."

Her hand squeezed his tighter, swallowing the lump in her throat before walking further inside the building. She knew that she had to stay strong and not show an ounce of fear; otherwise, Nick would feed off of it and it would leave Rydia defenseless. Dean looked down at the woman that was holding his hand for dear life. He had imagined them like that so many times he lost count. The day they first met was burned into his memory, causing him to replay it in his mind over and over.

_**Two Years Ago**_

_Mia walked into the arena, pulling her bag behind her. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail with a silver ribbon tied into a bow around the band that held her hair in place. She wore shorts that barely covered her backside and a thin pink tank top. A silver chain hung around her neck holding a circular pendent in between her breasts._

_ Dean stood against the wall talking with his fellow Shield members. They were discussing script lines and what they would do in the ring when able to. She caught his attention in the middle of a sentence. Seth and Roman turned to see what their friend was staring at. Her blue eyes make contact with his and she smiled sweetly._

"_Hello." She said softly._

"_New girl huh?" Dean replied._

"_That's right. Could you point me in the direction of the office? Vince McMahon wanted to see me as soon as I got here."_

_ Dean pushed himself from the wall and stepped between his friends before stopping before her. Her scent waved under his nose and it smelled heavenly to him. His hand touched her shoulder and turned her towards the direction she wanted to go. "Go straight down that hall and turn left. You can't miss the big bright sign on the door."_

"_Thank you..." She replied trailing off not knowing what his name was._

"_Dean Ambrose." He finished holding his hand out._

"_Mia Chandler, it's nice to meet you." She replied accepting his hand shake._

_ The second he felt her hand take his, electrical shocks shot up his arm. He didn't flinch at the feeling; but it stunned him for a moment. She pulled her hand back with a smile and nodded her head. He watched her walk away in the direction he had just pointed out to her. "That woman is down right beautiful..." He whispered._

"_Dude, you're drooling." Seth teased._

"_Shut up!"_

Mia waved a hand over Dean's eyes snapping him out of the trance he placed himself in. He shook his head to focus clearly. "Sorry, I want thinking about something." He explained to her before buying her a drink. Her smile took his breath away every time it was directed at him.

"So what were you thinking about just now?" Mia asked sitting down at a small table in the corner.

"When we first me..." He admitted.

"You mean when I wore that really skanky outfit that pretty much left nothing to imagine?"

He laughed and took a swig from his beer. Mia was probably the most blunt person he knew. She always spook her mind in any situation or conversation. It was one of the things he liked most about her. "You made it look really good." He commented.

Rydia finished her drink and sat the cup on the table. Seth and Roman looked at each other wondering what she was thinking about. She was hard to read unlike Mia that was pretty much like an open book. "Do you want another drink?" Seth asked pointing to her empty cup.

"I'll get it myself, since you guys won't tell me what's going on." She answered with a hostile tone to her voice.

Roman watched her get up and walk towards the bar. He let out a sigh of guilt. The fact was that he should have told her the day after he found out about Nick; but Mia begged him not to tell her. "She deserves to know, Roman." Seth spoke up.

"I know..."

Rydia told the bartender what she wanted. In the moments she waited for a new drink, she watched Roman and Seth talk. Anger was started to build within her. She wanted to know what was going on. She didn't understand why everyone was hiding it from her, including her own sister. "We are out of Mike's Hard Lemonade. Is there something else you want?" The bar tender stated.

"She'll have a Captain and Coke, easy on the Captain." A rugged voice interrupted.

Rydia turned to see the owner of the voice. Her eyes widened in horror. She blinked several times, hoping that he was an illusion. "Nick..." She whispered faintly, trying not to pass out from the shock. The bar tender returned with the drink and slipped it into her open hand.

"Why are you here?" Rydia asked in a harsh voice. Her anger returning.

"Can't you even say hello to me?" Nick teased.

"You don't deserve a hello from me after what you did."

She walked passed him, merging into the throb of people surrounding the bar. Fear was starting to take over the anger she once held onto. By that time, she was already pleading from Roman and Seth's company. Nick rushed through the crowd and snagged her arm firmly. She turned and splashed her drink into his face. "Let go of me!" She yelled.

Roman and Seth perked at the voice yelling. They knew who it belonged to. Roman saw Nick holding onto Rydia's arm as tightly as he could. The veins were bulging in his hand. People swarmed around them, making it hard to see them; but it didn't take long for them to split apart. Rydia held the side of her face. A red welt was forming on her cheek. Rage was boiling to the surface within Roman.

He reached Rydia and removed Nick's hand with ease. "You need to get the hell out of here now." He stated in a firm voice. He was trying to remain calm and not punch him in the face. Seth pulled Rydia closer to him. She clung onto his shirt, burying her face into his chest.

"Rydia!" Nikki Bella screamed coming to her side, Brie trailing behind.

"Is she okay?" Brie asked.

Daniel Bryan and John Cena circled around Nick, backing Roman up if needed. They witnessed the incident from the top level of the club. Rydia looked up from Seth's chest and moved into Nikki's arms. She was holding back tears that wanted to fall. There was no greater pain than being struck by someone you once loved.

"You need to quit stalking her." Roman threatened.

"You need to keep you hands to yourself. She doesn't belong to you." Nick replied.

"She's not an object of possession. She's a human being." John inserted.

Roman had had enough of listening to the man's utter disgusting talk of Rydia being a possession. He balled up his fist and struck Nick in the jaw, causing him to fall to a knee. He got back up and wiped the blood away with the back of his hand. "So you know who I am then." Nick asked with a sly smile.

"I know who you are..." Roman said through clenched teeth.

All Nick did was laugh. There was a sinister echo to it that sent chills up Rydia's spine. Nikki held her close, protectively. She watched Nick back up and retreat towards the exit. Roman turned to face Rydia. The red welt was forming into a hand print. He obviously had struck her. "What the hell was that all about?" John asked moving to stand next to Nikki.

"That was my ex-boyfriend..." Rydia answered pulling out of Nikki's embrace.

"Rydia..." Brie whispered.

Rydia turned to face Roman. His expression held guilt and a hurt that was indescribable. She realized that Nick had been the thing everyone had been hiding from her. Her eyes shifted a little to see his hand that was still clenched into a fist at his side. The skin was broke open and caked with dried blood. It broke her heart to know that he had gotten that wound because he protected her.

"Let's get out of here." Seth suggested.

The group silently walked out of the club went their separate ways. Seth opened the car door for Rydia to get inside. She noticed that he couldn't even make eye contact with her because of the guilt he felt. He pulled his phone out of his pocket so he could text Dean. _**"Nick showed up! There was a confrontation."**_ He typed and quickly sent it.

Mia wrapped her arms around Dean's neck, looking straight into his eyes as they danced. The lights danced reflectively against the blue of his iris's and it gave them an ethereal look. He could feel that she was still ridged; but he understood why. She was still on the lookout for Nick. "You are so beautiful..." He whispered in her ear and kissed the nape of her neck.

"Thank you."

Dean felt the vibration of his phone in his pocket. He wanted to just ignore it; but he felt that he couldn't. She watched him scramble to retrieve the device. He read to contents of the message and without any words, he turned his phone towards Mia. The color in her skin faded and turned ghost white. She turned away and began to run towards the exit. Dean ran after her, knowing full well that she was upset and downright worried.

"_**Is Rydia alright?" **_He quickly typed and sent back.

"_**She's pretty shaken up."**_

"_**Where are you guys?"**_

"_**Heading for the hotel..."**_

Mia stopped at the passenger side door. Her heart was beating so fast that she thought that she'd pass out from the trauma. The only thought in her head was the image of Rydia huddled in a fetal position on her kitchen floor. She hated the thought of having to see that again. "They are taking her back to the hotel." Dean said touching her shoulder.

"Is she okay?" She asked in a muffled voice.

"She's shaken up..."

"This is my fault. I shouldn't have said to split up. I should have been there with her."

Dean cupped both of her cheeks to stop her ranting. "This is not your fault. You couldn't have known that he'd go after them instead of us. She was in good hands." He explained and kissed her forehead to comfort her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author Note: Thanks goes to AngelVangaurd, Leasha Orton and JeweledLotus for the great reviews. Thanks also goes to MissMoose7 and jparr261 for becoming followers of the story. You readers are amazing. It keeps me writing and determined to make it to your liking. I hope you all enjoy this new chapter.**

"_**One life, one choice, gotta do it right**_

_**Once chance proving the world you were right**_

_**Like a match waiting for a spark to ignite**_

_**Sitting, contemplating if you're gonna make it through tonight**_

_**And rise up like a phoenix, fly through the light"**_

_**'This Life' by: WWE and $CFO featuring Cody B. Ware**_

Chapter 10: Aftermath

Rydia sat in the passenger seat silently. She never made a sound or spoke no words to either man. So many things were running through her head that made her angry, sad, and happy all at once. She had realized all at once that the people she came to trust were hiding the fact that Nick was around. Her heart was racing with the lingering adrenaline. The image of Roman's fist connecting with Nick's face made her know that he'd do anything to protect her and it made her smile on the inside.

Roman snuck a glance at her while at a stop light. She never moved from looking through the window. He knew that she was hurt in more ways than one. The light turned green and he turned into the parking lot of the hotel. Once the vehicle was stopped, Rydia exited almost instantly. "Rydia, wait.." Roman called out.

"How long did you guys know?" She asked without facing them.

"Since Tuesday night. Mia begged us not to tell you. We thought you should know." Seth answered.

Rydia turned to face them. The hand print still visible on her face; but this time it was also met with streaks of tears. Roman took a step closer to her. She sucked in a harsh breath of air, trying to calm herself down. "Rydia..." He whispered choking on his own words.

"I'm going inside. I just want this day to be over." She stated and proceeded to walk towards the entrance of the hotel.

Mia and Dean arrived at the hotel. Her heart was frantically racing. She didn't know what she would tell her sister when asked why she had lied. The only thing that came to mind was that she wanted to protect her; but failed to succeed in that ambition. "Mia, you have to be prepared for anything when you go in there." Dean explained.

Dean knew that anything would be possible. He didn't know Rydia well enough to know what she was like while emotionally high. Mia took his hand, twining her fingers with his for comfort. It was probably the hardest thing she ever had to walk into. Her hand took hold of the handle and she turned it slowly. In the few seconds it took to open the door, Mia's mind flashed with several different ideas of what would happen when she entered.

"Rydia!" She spoke loudly.

Rydia turned to face her sister. She had been laying on the bed with Roman and Seth overlooking her. She slowly stood up and closed the distance between them. Mia swallowed the lump in her throat hoping not the see the anger that Rydia was known to have in the past. Dean stood behind her, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"How long?" Rydia asked softly.

"Rydia..." Mia whispered.

"How long, Mia!" She yelled.

"He showed up the first night we went to the club together with Nikki and Brie."

The anger was boiling to the surface within Rydia's blood. She couldn't believe that her own sister would keep something so important a secret from her. What was worse, was that she begging Roman, Seth and Dean not to tell her anything about it. She felt like she couldn't trust anyone at all. Her fists were clenched at her sides tightly for a while before releasing them in a shove on Mia's shoulders. She stumbled backward into Dean's chest.

"How could you keep that from me? You knew what he did to me and yet you didn't think you should have told me that he was stalking me!" Rydia yelled.

"I'm sorry; but I was only trying to protect you." Mia defended.

"Give her some slack. It was my idea to keep it from you." Dean interrupted.

Rydia shifted her glance from her sister toward the man behind her. Dean pulled Mia to the side, holding her hand tightly. In a split second, Rydia's hand connect with his cheek. The force jerked his head to the side. Roman and Seth instantly came to Rydia's side. Roman touched her arm gently, trying his best to calm her down.

"Was that necessary, Ry?" Mia asked.

"You obviously don't give a damn about my feelings, because you agreed with that stupid idea to keep it from me."

Dean turned his head back to center and looked at the hurt woman before him. He was beginning to think that maybe keeping it from her wasn't such a good idea at all. "I do care and you know I do. I was the one who helped you get through all your hardships in life. I helped you through everything. You are my sister!" Mia cried the tears rolling down her tanned cheeks.

Rydia ran her hands through her hair trying to make sense of everything that was going on around her. She hated the thought of fighting with her own flesh and blood. The fact that she had shoved just minutes prior made her sick to her stomach. Falling to her knees, the tears spilled over her lashes. Mia scrambled to the floor, wrapping her arms around her. "I'm so sorry." Mia whispered. Seth, Roman and Dean did their best to leave without them noticing. It was a private moment between siblings and it didn't need an audience.

"You alright man?" Seth asked Dean placing his hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Mia released Rydia out of her arms and cleared her face from the tears that were drying upon her skin. Mia could see the hand print on her sister's cheek and felt like it was her fault that it even happened in the first place. The regret was eating away at her conscious. "Mia, I'm not safe anywhere am I?"

"We will keep you safe." Mia answered.

"We?"

"Roman, Seth, Dean and myself."

The mentioning of Roman's name brought back every moment they had shared in the past week. Seeing him stand up for her and shield her from her own personal demons made her understand that they had a bond of some form. She didn't know where it would take her; but she wanted to explore it despite the danger not to.

Mia helped Rydia to her feet and to the bed she had be laying upon. Her hand touched the softness of her hair. Rydia's eyes searched Mia's face, looking for any sign as to what she was thinking about. "Let him in, Mia. He cares so much about you." She commented.

"I know he does. I've already let him in a little bit."

"I'm glad..."

Her eyes closed, fluttered open and then closed once again before falling asleep. Mia smiled and leaned down to place her lips on her forehead. She couldn't believe that in one short week Nick had become a threat to not only Rydia but to herself as well. In one short week, she had grown attached to Dean Ambrose; the man who she despised for the longest time.

She slowly got up from the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb Rydia. Mia tip toed out of the room and found herself walking the hallway towards the room she knew Dean was staying in. Her fist knocked against the door loud enough that he'd hear. She wanted his comfort now more than ever. Despite Rydia's collapse on the floor, she knew that she wasn't totally forgiven.

After a few moments of waiting, Dean finally opened the door. His eyes were glazed over with evidence of being tired. "Mia...are you alright?" He asked softly and out of instinct he reached his hand out to her.

"Can I come in?" Mia asked pleadingly.

"Of course." He replied stepping away from the threshold.

She stepped inside and waited for him to close the door before turning to face him. Before he could blink, she was in his arms clinging on for dear life. Her cries broke his heart to hear and he honestly didn't know what to say to her to fix the problem. Instead, he did what he could and that was hold her for as long as she wanted.

"Do you want to lay down?" He asked hoping that it didn't sound as bad as it did to him.

Mia couldn't answer; but nodded her head anyway. He lead her to the bed he was occupying. She curled up against the edge, burying her face into the pillow. Dean walked around to the other side and crawled in next to her. He wrapped an arm around her waist. "Shhh, I'm here." He whispered in her ear and kissed her shoulder.

"This is my fault. I should have told her the truth."

"Mia, stop blaming yourself. She will forgive you. You're family and she needs you just like she needs us."

She rolled over to lay facing him directly. His hand moved up her arm, cupping her cheek. There was a red splotch on Dean's cheek that she assumed was from when Rydia had slapped him. Her hand reached up to touch the spot. "I'm sorry. That slap was meant for me. You shouldn't have taken it." She stated and blinked her eyes to let more tear drops fall.

"I said what was the truth; so no, that slap was meant for me. By the way, she hits hard."

Mia let out a laugh mixed with a cry. She knew all about Rydia's strength behind her slaps. They grew up so close in age that it happened quite a bit. Rydia was born in April and Mia was born in March the following year. "We will get through this. Nick isn't going to stop trying and we need to stay close."

"Thank you..."

Her lips captured his chastely. The pounding of her heart echoed throughout her head. His lips caressed hers in a soft array of chaste kisses that left her feeling completely safe in his arms. Her exhaustion was becoming harder to fight and she finally just gave in to its calling. She snuggled her head into the crook of his arm and fell asleep under the watchful eye of Dean.

"Sleep well, princess." He whispered.

He watched the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. He thought back on how long he had been chasing her and now that he finally had her, he was more determined to make her happy and protect her from everything that caused her pain. If that meant dealing with a crazed ex-boyfriend of her sister, then that's what he was going to do.

Rydia slowly opened her eyes to a dark room. She knew that it was still dark outside and that she hadn't slept long at all. The replays of that evening ran through her mind rapidly. Reaching into the pocket of her jeans, she pulled out her phone. There were two text messages on the screen from only twenty minutes prior. The first one was from Mia stating that she was going to see Dean and the second was from Roman. _**"Coffee in the morning?"**_ It wrote.

"_**Sure, I'll meet you in the lobby at 7. I have training after with Randy. Do you want to go?"**_ She typed and hit the send button.

She didn't expect a response considering how late it was; but the sound of her alert buzz made her smile. Her finger swiped the screen to access the message. _**"See you then and yes I would like to go with you. Get some sleep beautiful."**_

"_**Alright, thank you for standing up for me by the way."**_

"_**No need to thank me for that. I'm gonna stand up for you no matter what. He's not gonna get anywhere near you."**_

His protective nature was overwhelming her senses. Her heart was pounding against her chest and it made her wonder if it would explode with all the emotions she felt. She didn't know what to say in response to that; but she had time to dream about. The earlier exhaustion returned and claimed her for slumber.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author Note: I'd like to thank , nunu82, and rloverock for becoming followers to this story. I'd also like to thank Leasha Orton, MissMoose7, and JeweledLotus for giving me awesome reviews. It's been great to see all the positive responses from all of you readers. This chapters is going to be mostly Rydia based and I hope you enjoy it.**

"_**I won't give in, I'm not that easy**_

_**I'll live again and keep on breathing**_

_**I'll bleed my last regret**_

_**'Cause sometimes you gotta burn the past yeah,**_

_**To rise up, rise up from the ashes"**_

"_**Up From The Ashes' by: The Letter Black**_

Chapter 11: The Fighter

Mia awoke tangled in limbs and blankets. She shifted to free herself from the twisted blankets. Dean groaned and rolled over to the opposite side of the bed. She smiled to see how innocent he looked while asleep. Her eyes caught sight of the clock on the wall and saw that it was 6:30 in the morning. She knew that Rydia would leaving for training in a little more than thirty minutes.

"Mia..." Dean whispered half asleep.

She turned her head to look at him. He was propped up on his hand staring at her. Mia couldn't believe how far they had come in such a short amount of time. In some ways, she had to thank Nick for pushing her into his arms; because if he hadn't shown up that night, she would have never given him the chance to show that he cared about her.

"I need to get going. Rydia will be leaving for training soon." She replied.

"You need to give her some space."

"But what about Nick?"

"She is a fighter. Do you really think she'd give in without a fight?"

He was right and she knew it. Rydia had always been a fighter. She never gave up on anything she wanted in her entire life. There were things that she probably should have given up on; but refused to. Nick being on of those things. Mia could remember Rydia coming to her for advice. When they formed 'Endless Dreams' Rydia developed feelings for her co-vocalist. Though it was a bad idea to mix work with pleasure, Rydia never gave up on him.

"I know she is. I envy that about her..."

Dean sat up completely and took hold of her arm. His fingers traced lines along her cheek and flowed through her knotted hair. "You don't need to envy anything about your sister. Mia, you are perfect the way you are." He stated and placed his lips upon hers softly.

The tingling feeling in the pit of her stomach returned and she couldn't fight it off. Her hands snaked around his neck, pulling him closer to her. The sound of knocking on the door broke the kiss earlier than both participants wanted. Dean got up from the bed and walked towards the door. Once he opened it, Seth Rollins stood at the entrance alone.

"Do you know where Roman is? He isn't answering his phone and his room is empty. His stuff is gone to. The lady at the desk said he checked out already." Seth asked in a calm voice; but the panic was still present.

Dean looked back towards Mia who was still sitting on his bed. Seth looked into the room and saw her. He instantly regretting interrupting whatever was going on before he had arrived. Mia shrugged her shoulders, obviously not knowing about it either. "I don't know. Maybe Rydia knows. They seem pretty close as of late." Dean replied.

Seth raised an eyebrow at the response. He wondered if Dean really was that dense or that he didn't really pay that much attention now that Mia was around more often. He knew that Roman fancied the woman to the point of infatuation. "Close isn't he word I'd use." He commented quietly.

"What do you mean?" Mia asked standing up and took steps to close the distance between them.

"If you haven't noticed, I'm surprised. Roman really seems to like Rydia a lot. Haven't you guys seen the bond they've formed over the last week?"

"I already seen it. She is fragile. Way too fragile for him to fix right now."

Seth snorted an annoyed breath. Mia didn't give Rydia much credit in handling her own life's events. She sheltered her and made her look weaker than she really was. It irritated him and it was probably because he to felt close to her as well; but more on a brotherly aspect than a romantic one. "You don't give her much credit. She's stronger than you think."

Before Mia could respond, Seth turned heel and walked down the hall leaving the couple with his words. Dean rubbed her arm to comfort her beaten pride. "I'll deal with Seth later. He shouldn't have talked to you that way." He replied protectively.

"No! He's right. I don't give her much credit at all. No wonder she was so angry with me..."

Rydia finished getting ready for her coffee get-together with Roman. She grabbed her bag that held her training clothes inside and her purse. Her hair lay flat against her back and the shorter pieces fell into her eyes, giving them a more angelic look. The make-up wasn't too extreme because she knew that she'd be sweating during training.

The moment she entered the lobby, Roman turned in her direction. The second he saw her he smiled. She just brightened his day. The butterflies began to flutter in her stomach, caused her palms to sweat at her side. He just brought out the school girl shyness in her that she hated. She wanted to be herself and talk to him normally without feeling nervous.

"Morning.." He said in his warm voice that sent tingles throughout her entire body.

"Good morning..." She replied softly.

She saw the bags in his hand and was wondering what he was doing with all his luggage that early in the morning. Something was off about him and she couldn't put her finger on it. Most people left their things in the hotel room until they were ready to travel to the next city. She made a note to ask him about it.

Today would only be the second time Mia wasn't present at her training with Randy; but knowing that Roman would be there made her feel a little less alone. The idea of him watching her made her even more determined to succeed in proving herself wrong.

"I'm going to drive. Is that okay?" Roman asked.

"Yeah. It's fine." She replied stepping outside the hotel.

His rental car was already parked up along the pickup line. He pushed a button on the keyring to pop the trunk. Putting his bags into the trunk, he turned to take hers. She hesitantly handed him the bag with her clothes before heading for the passenger side door. "Is something wrong?" Rydia asked.

"No, why would you think that?" He asked.

"Because you are taking all of your luggage with you. Don't you travel with Seth and Dean?"

He was busted by her perceptive intellect. He was hoping that he would have been ready to go before she got down to the lobby; so he could have put the bags in his truck before she saw them. Now he had to ask her the question he wanted to ask her later on in the day. "I do travel with them; but I've been thinking a lot since last night." He replied.

"You mean about Nick? Look, if you don't want to talk to me anymore, I completely understand. He isn't going to stop stalking me anytime soon."

Roman reached his hand over and rested it on her leg. She looked down at his hand covering her own. The sparks were undeniable and obvious to both of them. "I told you that I wasn't going to let him anywhere near you and I meant that. Nick isn't going to scare me off." He replied hoping that she'd forget about the luggage.

He turned the steering wheel to drive into a parking lot that was pretty crowded for 7:15 in the morning. Roman put on the brakes as he pulled into a parking spot within the lot. Rydia looked around and lost her ambition for coffee once she saw the line inside the building. "Do you still want coffee?" He asked with a chuckle.

"No, not really. I'm pretty impatient. I don't like to wait for things." She replied with a laugh.

"Good to know."

Rydia turned to see him smile. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone in a car behind them. Without moving her head, she shifted her eyes to look at the mirror at her window. The man looked familiar to her; but at the distance she was from him, she couldn't really see clearly. The only thing she did know was that he was definitely watching them.

"Roman..."

"Yeah."

"We are being watched. Don't act any differently or they will know we've caught on."

His hand squeezed her leg out of reflex; but in reality, he wanted to take her and flee. She turned her hand upward, letting her fingers slide between his. Her sudden boldness surprised him enough for him to suck in a startled breath of air into his lungs. He returned the gesture by closing his fingers around hers, holding her hand securely.

"So now what, Ry?" He asked.

Hearing the nickname come out of his mouth sent her heart to skip a beat. She continued to watch the mirror for a moment longer, trying to see if she could recognize him; but like before, he was too far away to get a clear look. "I think that's the first time you've ever called me by my nickname." She stated.

"Is that okay?" He asked turned his head to look directly at her.

"Yes! I actually prefer it. Rydia is kinda long and hard to say."

"It's a beautiful name. It suits you perfectly."

Rydia couldn't stop the heat from rising to her cheek, tinting them pink in a blush. Roman saw the color change in her face and smiled at her obvious blushing state. The woman next to him was beyond anything he'd ever known before. She was perfect in every sense of the word and if he didn't have control, he would have kissed her already; but he knew that he couldn't. It was too soon to try that with her.

"I'm going to be late for training if we don't get going. Let's see if that car follows us." Rydia suggested.

"Alright."

Roman backed up and turned in the direction of the gym. Rydia watched the window for the red Ford Fusion. It didn't surprise her to see it tucked behind a truck; but still heading in the same direction as them. The truck switched lanes at the next light and left the car behind them. "Oh my god, is that Bray Wyatt?" Rydia whispered.

Roman lifted his head slightly to look in his rear-view mirror to confirm Rydia's suspicion; but what really caught his attention was the man in the passenger seat. He had never seen him before. There was a feeling that was nagging at him. He was pretty sure that Rydia would know him. Nick seemed like the guy to play mind games with someone to try and break them down. "Who is with him?" He asked.

Rydia's eyes turned towards the other side and the second she saw the face, her heart stopped for a second. Memories of the days spent with 'Endless Dreams' flooded her mind before she could even form a word in her mouth. "Aaron..." She whispered.

"Who is Aaron?"

"He was the drummer for my cover band. Aaron was like a brother to me."

It made more sense now. Nick was using his fellow band members that were also close to Rydia in attempts to break her down. Roman turned into the gym's parking lot. He half expected the red Ford Fusion to follow them into the lot; but they kept going. Rydia let out a sigh of relief and got out of the car as quickly as she possibly could.

"Are you alright?" Roman asked.

"Yeah, I have to keep my head up. Nick isn't going to break me down. I have too much going for me right now."

He was happy to know that she wasn't going to give up fighting to make her life the way she wanted it to be. They made their way into the gym. Randy was standing in the middle of the ring stretching out. He looked up to see Rydia approaching him with Roman trailing behind her. "Well this is new. How come Mia isn't with you today?" He asked.

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing to concern yourself with. Roman is taking her place today."

"Fair enough. Go get changed and stretch out."

Rydia took her leave for the bathroom at the back of the building. Roman stared down Randy for a moment before taking a step closer to the practice ring. He knew about the history he shared with Mia. "So what really happened? There is fear in her eyes, Roman. Anyone can see that if they have a set of eyes."

"It's not my place to say. And why do you care anyway? You left Mia without any explanation, so why give a damn about her sister?"

Randy jumped down to the floor and stood face to face with Roman. He raised an eyebrow waiting for an answer from the trouble maker known as 'The Viper'. Randy crossed his arms over his chest. "I made a mistake with Mia. I do still care about her." Randy admitted.

It didn't take long for Roman to catch onto what Randy was talking about. He swiftly reached for the shirt collar of Randy's T-shirt. Using his strength to his advantage, he slammed his back into the side of the ring. "If you think you're going to use Rydia to get to Mia you've got another thing coming. Mia is already taken. You might as well give up."

"Why are you so protective of Rydia? Oh! I see, you've got a thing for her don't you?" Randy taunted.

Roman let go of Randy's shirt just as Rydia was walking back. Randy couldn't believe that Mia was taken now. The last time he saw her, she was still single. What could have happened in a few days? He also wanted to know who had stolen her heart from him.

Rydia got into the ring and squatted down, stretching her legs out. Randy stood before her taking every opportunity to look at her cleavage, knowing it would anger Roman. She stood back up straight and waited for Randy's instructions for the day. "Let's practice what you already know and then we will do some new stuff."

"Alright, let's do this."

Roman watched her succeed in everything she had been already taught and everything new Randy taught her, she grasped almost immediately. She was a natural born wrestler. Rydia scoop slammed Randy to the mat and he let out a laugh that confused her. "What's so funny?" She asked stepping away from him.

"Nothing. You just impress me. There hasn't been anything I've shown you yet that you've found to be challenging."

"It's not physical things that I find challenging, it's emotional ones that are the challenge for me."

Randy was perplexed by her confession. She didn't seem the type to be hindered by emotional baggage. He opened his mouth to say something; but was interrupted by someone clearing his throat and clapping of hands. Roman turned around while Randy and Rydia looked up from each other. Nick was leaning against a center-post in the room.

"Nick..." Rydia whispered.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Roman asked trying to keep himself calm.

"I came to check on my sweet angel. It looks like she is doing pretty well." He replied.

Rydia jumped out of the ring and stood next to Roman. Randy watched closely, wondering why his name sounded so familiar to him and that's when he remembered when Mia talked about him. She had been concerned about his temper and his split personalities. By the way the man talked, Randy came to the conclusion that he was delusional as well.

"I'm not yours anymore. I belong to no one." Rydia snapped.

"Fight me all you want to. The end result will still be the same." Nick replied.

Randy looked around and saw three other men starting to close in from behind Nick. Rydia froze as she saw them come to Nick's aid one by one. Aaron lifted his hand to wave at her. Besides Nick, he had been the one she was closest to while a part of the band. "I see you've corrupted them as well. Is there no sanity left in you?" She asked holding back the tears that wanted to fall.

"You can do anything when you have money to throw around; but they always were on my side before they would ever be on yours."

"Aaron...Traze...Gage..." She spoke their names one at a time, letting go of the bonds she had formed with each of them.

Roman took her arm and pulled her behind him protectively. He wasn't about to break his promise to her this early in the game. The four men circled Roman, forming a complete 360 with no openings to run through. Randy watched intently debating on stepping in to help them. It would be a way to prove to Mia that he still cared about her; but it was a selfish reason and she'd see right through it.

"Consider this little meeting a warning for you Roman Reigns." Nick stated with a sadistic smile that made Rydia's stomach coil into a knot, threatening to expel its contents on the floor.

"A warning for what exactly?" He asked clenching his hands into fists at his side.

"Don't even think about falling for her. She's mine and will always be mine. You will never have her and I'll make sure of that. If you going to say that you don't think of her that way, then I know you're lying. I've seen the bond you have formed with her."

Rydia stepped forward. The anger was getting the better of her and it clouded her judgment. She wasn't about to let someone tell her how she was going to live her life. The point of life was to make you're own choices and live with them in your own way. Step after step she took to close the distance between her and Nick. Her hand connected with his cheek. "Rydia!" Roman shouted out of concern for her safety and he became to come after her; but was attacked by the others.

Randy jumped down from the ring to pushed the others off Roman's large body. He stood at Roman's back waiting for them to lunge once again. Rydia stood her ground in front of Nick. Her mind was racing with thoughts of what he had threatened. Nick put his fingers to the side of his face, feeling the sting in the skin.

"You don't tell me what to feel. Don't you understand what you are doing? This is insanity, all of this!"

Nick cocked his head to side as if what she was saying was foreign to him; but it only took a split second for the back of his hand to come across her face. Her head jerked to the side. Dark brown hair flowing in the hair around to cover the damage. Roman was stunned by the openness of the attack. Randy couldn't believe what he was seeing. He never believed in hitting a woman for any reason.

Rydia straightened her head and narrowed her eyes. The passion was burning in her blue eyes as she turned to look back at Roman. She knew he wanted to protect her and shield her from all the emotional pain that lingered in her heart; but in that moment, she wanted to protect him.

"You aren't going to break me no matter how many times you hit me. I'm going to keep getting up and fight for what I want in life."

Her words angered Nick. He snapped his fingers, calling the others to back away. They were leaving, much to her relief. There was something she needed to do and she didn't want an audience like them. Once the group left the building, Rydia turned to look at Roman and Randy. Another red mark blotched her skin.

Randy knew that this was going to be moment that didn't need any spectators. The whole incident left him feeling sick and wanting to make things right with Mia. He stepped forward and touched Rydia's shoulder before passing her on his way towards the exit. She touched his arm gently as a thank you for helping Roman.

**End Note: So what do you guys think Rydia needs to do now that her and Roman are alone? What would you guys like to see her do in this moment?**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author Note: Thanks goes to DeeMarie426 for becoming a follower to this story. Thanks also goes to Leasha Orton and JohnsAngel22 for the reviews. I'll admit I was slightly disappointed with the outcome of the previous chapter. I felt it was overly out of character for some of them; but maybe I'm just being a little too harsh on myself. Anyways here is the new chapter and I hope everyone enjoys it.**

"_**So many times I wished that I could be loved**_

_**But it always hurts when someone dives deep in my heart**_

_**It's invasive, I feel naked**_

_**I can't hide myself this time**_

_**You read my soul**_

_**I can feel it's true"**_

_**'All Yours' by Hydria**_

Chapter 12:

**Mia and Dean during Rydia's Training Session**

After Seth shut the door behind him, Dean turned to look at a tear stricken woman frozen in her place mid-step. Never in a million years did he think that she'd be this emotional in front of him. The chaos caused by Nick Grayson's appearance escalated the emotions further within her. She didn't have to speak any words for Dean to know how she was feeling at that moment. It was obvious that she felt guilty for not giving Rydia the credit she deserved.

"Am I a bad sister?" She cried stumbling back onto the edge of the bed.

"God no! You are an amazing sister to her. You've been there for her the entire time. You were bound to feel overprotective of her and try to shelter her from pain." Dean explained sitting down next to her.

"Seth is right though. I don't give her enough credit. I'm the younger sister; she's supposed to be protecting me not the other way around."

The tears continued to roll down her cheeks like a slow trickling waterfall. He knew that there wasn't much he could say that would make her stop feeling the way she felt. There was only one person that could that and that was Rydia herself. All he could do was pull her into his arms and hold her for however long she needed him. "Why are you so sweet to me after all the rejection I put you through. I said some pretty awful things to you in the past." She asked pulling away from him.

"Mia, that was before you got to know me. I don't hold any of that against you. I never have."

"I've got a bad feeling..."

"Then we will go down there and check on her if you think you'll feel better."

Mia looked up from her lap to stare directly into his soft blue eyes. He leaned in for a short chaste kiss before helping her to her feet. Despite knowing that every moment he shared with her was a dangerous one, he couldn't help but feel even more drawn to her each and every time she was there with him. She was a drug that just coursed through his veins and one he didn't want to stop being addicted to.

"Thank you..." She whispered against his lips as they separated.

"You're welcome, princess."

They quickly gathered what they needed and head for the gym that was housing Rydia's training for the day. Mia sat in the passenger seat biting at the skin around her nails nervously. The feeling that something was wrong just wouldn't go away no matter how many things she tried to think about. Dean held her hand gently as he drove through the large amounts of traffic for the time of day.

"Not to bring up another sore subject for you; but have you been getting along with Randy, since he is the one training Ry?" Dean asked trying to break the silence.

"It's a civil as it's going to get, I guess."

**The Gym**

Rydia turned to face Roman. The red mark on her cheek was clearly visible. She noticed a small split at the corner of his right eye. Roman hated seeing yet another mark on her face. He had failed to stop it once again. The guilt was eating away at him and he didn't understand why she put herself in position to be struck again. "Are you alright?" He asked trying to make his voice sound as calm as could be.

"Roman...I..." Rydia started to say taking a step closer to him.

"Don't apologize, if that's what were trying to do."

"I am sorry. This mess is because of me. How many times must people get hurt because of me?"

Roman could see the glassy look in her eyes starting to form. He knew that she was close to crying. In those moments of confrontation, she had exposed herself to everyone around her. Standing up to Nick, only confirmed to him that she indeed had growing feelings for Roman. She wanted to explore them; but at the same time, she didn't want to endanger him by doing so.

"I told you before that he wasn't going to scare me away. I will protect you, believe that."

Rydia wanted to believe him. She really did; but the risk of endangering him further set a heavy burden upon her conscious. She didn't want to see him get hurt while protecting her from someone from her past; but she also didn't want to let him go either. Her mind screamed for her to keep him at a distance to protect him; but her heart screamed for her to embrace her feelings for him.

She took a few more steps closer to him. He stayed firm in his place, waiting to see what she was going to do. Roman knew exactly what he wanted to do; but he wasn't going to push her or try something that would or could easily scare her off. He watched her wipe her eyes away from the tears that broke free from her lashes and before he could react, she was running into his arms.

Her head rammed into his chest with a thud that made him take a step backward. His arms swiftly wrapped themselves around her small frame. The feel of her body in his arms sent a wave of extreme happiness throughout his entire being. Roman dipped his head into the nape of her neck, breathing in her scent.

"Rydia!" Mia's voice echoed scaring Rydia.

Mia witnessed her sister jump out of Roman's arms. The evidence of another hand print was on her cheek, solidifying that she had been correct to worry the whole time. Roman straightened up, pretending like nothing happened. Rydia shifted to see her concerned sister and Dean Ambrose behind her. "What are you doing here?" She asked the irritation on her voice.

"I was worried about you and from the looks of it, I was right to worry. He showed up here didn't he?"

"I can handle myself just fine as I proved today."

Mia looked from her sister to Roman. She saw the dried blood at the corner of his eye and judging from the tear in his t-shirt, there had to have been more than one guy there. "I'm sorry that I doubted your capability to handle this." She apologized taking Rydia's hands and held them.

"It's alright; but you have to trust me more, okay?"

For the first time since their argument started, Mia smiled genuinely. There was something different about Rydia that made her curious. Seeing the looks exchanged between Roman and her older sister only confirmed Seth's words. There was a bond and it grew deeper and deeper with each passing day. "Are you ready to go? We've got quite a bit of ground to cover before tonight's tapping." Mia asked.

"Yeah, I think so..." She replied hesitantly.

Rydia felt at odds with herself. There was a part of her that wanted to go through with what she wanted to do in the first place; but there was fear that if she did Roman would pay for it in the end. She refused to do anything that would endanger him. "Rydia..." He called out to her.

The sound of his voice accelerated her heart beat. Out of reflex, she clenched her hands into fists at her side trying to fight the urge to run back and kiss him. Everything about him was comforting and she knew that if for one moment she let her guard down, Nick would take advantage of it. She turned to face him. Her eyes glassy with tears. They were for him and for everything she had been through over the last forty-eight hours.

Roman could see her inner turmoil in her blue irises. She wanted to know if what Nick said was true and he wanted to tell her the truth; but there was always some kind of interruption or no privacy. He mentally vowed to talk to her at the arena that night and let everything he felt come out into the open.

He watched her turn back towards her sister and walk out of the gym without another glance in his direction. Dean came to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. He knew all too well how his friend was feeling. Mia had pushed him away countless times before finally giving in to what she felt deep in her heart.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep hiding this." Roman stated shaking his head.

"You like her, that much is obvious man." Dean replied with a smile.

"She's gone through so much and I don't want to chase her away, because I'm impatient."

In the car, Rydia was silent for most of the trip. Mia occasionally would glance over to make sure she was alright; but the silence was starting to scare her. She wanted to know exactly what was going on inside her mind. "Talk to me. What's bothering you?" Mia asked trying to get to the bottom of her sister's silent behavior.

"Why do I feel at war with myself?"

"Is this about Roman or Nick?"

Rydia looked away from the window and grabbed the bottle of water next to her in the cup holder console. She stared into the water, watching it swish around the barrier of the bottle as Mia drove. She could still feel the sting of Nick's backhand. The thought brought a feeling into her heart that she never knew that could feel. Hatred.

"Roman..." Rydia whispered loud enough for Mia to hear.

"I can probably relate to feeling at war with yourself. Now that Dean and I have grown together, I feel like a part of me wants to push him away to protect him. I don't think I could live with myself if something happened to him."

That was the first time she had heard of her feelings for Dean out of her own mouth. She never bothered to tell her that they were together and knowing that stung a little; but she did know where her feelings were coming from. No matter how many times she tried to deny or fight her growing attraction to Roman, the same result happened.

"I want to tell him everything; but I don't want him to get hurt because I'm selfish."

"You are not selfish. You want to be happy and there is nothing wrong with that at all."

**Boston Massachusetts, Smackdown Tapping**

Bray Wyatt snuck around his car, crouching low waiting for the arrival of his target. A black SUV pulled into the parking lot a little faster than necessary and right behind it was a silver Mitsubishi Eclipse. Bray kept watch on both vehicles, knowing who the occupants were inside. The driver side door of the SUV opened and Roman Reigns stepped out, followed by Dean Ambrose from the passenger side, and Seth Rollins from the backseat.

He could see Mia wave them off from waiting around until they were ready to exit the car. It was his perfect moment to spy on the sisters and listen in to what they would talk about. Mia turned to the side and watched Rydia closely before speaking.

"You know if you don't tell him, then your upcoming script is going to be pretty hard on you." Mia stated.

Rydia looked at her wondering what she was talking about. She hadn't heard about any script changes or anything that would make things more difficult mentally since finding out about Nick making sure that she couldn't have a life. "What's this?" She asked taking a hold of the papers.

"Stephanie thinks you'll do well as The Shield's manager instead of mine." Mia replied turning away.

"But I'm not fully trained!"

"You're almost done with the basics. After that is complete, you will be going to NXT to start developing a character and your own signature move set; but you still remain as the manager of The Shield until you are fully ready."

Everything was starting to become clear to her. Being the manager of The Shield meant spending more time with them, especially Roman. It was getting hard to hold everything she felt in as it was let alone spending more time with him onscreen and backstage.

Bray read enough lips to know what was going on. He also knew that Nick would be furious to learn about Rydia's new change within the company. He also knew of her confession of having feelings for Roman. All the information he had gathered in those few minutes would cost him an earful of yelling from Nick.

"Then I know what I have to do..." Rydia whispered before opening the passenger door.

"Ry, don't do that? I know you well enough to know what you have going on inside that head." Mia pleaded opening her door.

"What choice do I have? Nick will do anything to make my life miserable. Why should I drag him down with me?"

Rydia walked away from her sister, leaving Mia alone in the parking lot. She couldn't think of anything else to stop her sister from doing what she had her mind set on; because the thought had come across her own mind more times than she cared to count. Hesitantly, she followed her into the building hoping that she hadn't said anything to Roman yet.

Bray walked out from behind his car with a sly smile. He decided not to relay information to Nick just yet. He was going to wait to see if Rydia would go through with, what he thought, walking away from her feelings for Roman. He could see that Nick had gotten inside her head earlier that day and maybe it was enough for things to end without anyone getting physically hurt.

"Mia!" Dean called turning into the same hallway as her.

"Hey..."

"Is everything okay? Rydia wouldn't speak to any of us. She just went into the locker-room and slammed the door shut."

Her behavior confirmed her suspicions and she didn't want to see Rydia making a mistake she would forever regret. Seth and Roman stood behind Dean hoping to hear something that made any sense; but Mia couldn't bring herself to tell them what she knew. It was something Rydia had to do herself.

"She's having a hard time with Nick's appearances and threats..."

Though it was true, it wasn't the entire truth and all three men looked at her waiting for a better explanation. Mia turned to open the door to the woman's locker-room. Dean reached out to gently grab her hand. "Let me talk to her; but let me say that maybe Roman should just tell her himself." She whispered before walking into the room.

"What the hell was that about?" Seth asked.

Dean's temper was beginning to flare within him. He was angry about how Nick kept showing up right when Rydia was beginning to live her life and ready to move on with someone who could make her happy. He replayed the events one by one through his mind until he realized that Nick couldn't have known where they were each and every time without a spy of some kind.

"That bastard has inside information..." He whispered harshly slamming his hand on stage equipment cases.

Roman could understand his anger. His feelings for Rydia caused him to be protective; but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't seem to rid her fear of letting him get close. Hearing Dean say Nick had inside information, made him think of one group of people. In rage, he kicked a large case that held spare stage equipment. It rolled several feet down the hall before he stormed off in the opposite direction with an intent to fight.

"Roman!" Dean shouted.

"Where are you going?" Seth asked.

"I'm going to end this once and for all!" He yelled back without even looking at them.

Seth and Dean looked at each other for a split second before following after their friend. Roman wasn't known for taking action personally; but now that Rydia had entered his life, they have noticed more things that set him off and they were going to let him do whatever he had in mind alone.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author Note: I'd like to thank princessofdarkness2016 and DeeMarie426 for the great reviews. I know the last chapter was kind of boring; but I'm hoping to make this one more action packed and romantic. I'd really like to read your thoughts and opinions on what should happen. I definitely like to please my readers. Hope everyone likes the new chapter.**

"_**Behind closed doors, fear is present**_

_**Preventing man from speaking his mind**_

_**Whisper simple words, and then apologize**_

_**Evade the truth that's in front of you**_

_**Resist and deny reality"**_

_**'Hollow' by System Divide**_

Chapter 13: Rise Up

Roman continued his way down the hallways, searching for the culprit of the inside information. He had his theories as to who was behind it and judging from the footsteps coming from behind him, Dean and Seth also felt the need to find out as well.

His hands were clenched at his sides. The anger he felt was beyond anything he had felt in such a long time. He wasn't about to let someone ruin what could be something great between himself and Rydia Chandler. She was everything he ever dreamed of in a woman; loyal, determined, beautiful, smart and protective.

"Roman, do you really think this is a good idea?" Seth asked running to catch up.

"I've had it with all this cat and mouse crap." Roman snapped.

Dean and Seth looked at each other for a moment before caving in to just following him to see where it would lead. Roman turned the corner to see Bray Wyatt looking at his cellphone. In one swift motion, Roman took hold of his shirt and slammed him against the nearby wall. "Are you out of your mind completely?" He yelled.

Bray's emotionless expression changed. A wicked smile curved at his lips and he began to laugh. Dean and Seth circled him on both sides. They knew just by the laugh that he was somehow involved in the mess that had been dragged into. "Fear cripples you know..." Bray started to say taking a shot at Rydia.

Roman balled up his fist and struck him hard in the jaw. The force caused Bray's head to jerk to the side. Roman knew that the twisted man before him was taking a shot at Rydia. Fear was the worst thing for someone to feel. It also kept people from doing things they really wanted to do. Bray looked back at the rage infused man before him. Blood crept from the corner of his mouth, rolling down to his bearded chin.

"Do you have any idea what you've done to her?" Roman shouted before punching Bray again.

"Oh I know full well. You don't deserve someone like her." Bray replied snapping his fingers.

Luke Harper and Erick Rowan appeared from the nearby room. Roman narrowed his eyes even further. Listening to Bray's words, it made Dean realize that there was a good possibility that he wanted Rydia for himself and if that was the case, they had more than one person to worry about. "What's the matter? Can't fight your battles alone?" Roman taunted.

"Cleaver; but wrong. I have no intention of fighting you right now."

"Do yourself a favor and stay away from her! This is your last warning."

Bray started to laugh once again, further angering Roman. Dean saw that his friend was about to strike the crazed man. Seth leapt in to grab Roman's arm to keep him from hitting him again. "Don't! Think about what you're doing." Seth pleaded.

The family walked away in evil laughter. Roman yanked his arm away from Seth's grasp and turned to look at them with rage in his eyes. Dean could relate to feeling that way; but he couldn't understand the emotion that Roman must be feeling in that moment. He had two road blocks in his way to having the one thing he wanted most. Nick had made it well known that he intended on getting Rydia back and now it seemed like Bray Wyatt had his sights set on her as well.

"Why the hell did you stop me?" Roman asked turning towards Seth.

"Did you really want to loose your job?" Dean interrupted.

"He won't loose his job; but it won't go unpunished." Triple H's voice boomed from behind them.

Roman turned to look the COO of the company in the eye. He didn't even bother trying to defend himself. The man in front of him wouldn't understand his reasons. He had crossed a line by bringing his personal life into work and he didn't have it in him to explain that Bray Wyatt had also crossed that line. "So what will happen to him?" Seth asked curiously.

Triple H ignored Seth question and stood almost nose to nose with Roman. The tension between them was so thick that if it had been a real force it probably would have suffocated both Seth and Dean. They stood behind Roman to back him up; but he held his hand out to stop them. "Don't! You weren't a part of this." He stated.

"You are suspended until further notice and fined 150,000 dollars." Triple H announced.

"What!" Seth shouted obviously angry with the decision.

"Now get out of the building or I'll have you escorted out."

**Woman's Locker-Room**

Rydia continued on with changing into different clothes. Mia remained quiet, trying to sort through words that might make her sister understand that she was making the wrong decision. Roman brought the best side out of her and she didn't want to see that fade. There was almost a guarantee that Rydia would revert back to the scared shell of a woman if Roman was no longer in the picture.

"Ry, I understand that you want to protect him; but pushing him away isn't the answer."

"How would you know?"

She looked up from zipping up her boots over her leggins. Her hair fell over her shoulder, covering half of her face. Sometimes she wished that she could hide away forever, to escape the torment of Nick and her former band mates. Mia took a step closer to her. Deep within, she struggled with what words would convince her older sister to change her mind.

"I've thought about that myself; but I've found that having him close to me helps me stay positive, because at the end of this he will still be there for me."

"That's you, sis. Dean cares so much about you and has for a long time. I don't understand why you think Roman even gives a damn about what happens to me."

Mia reached out and took hold of Rydia's face between her fingers. Her action made her have to look into her eyes. Mia took her other hand and flicked her finger into her forehead. "Are you blind? What I don't understand is why you are suddenly giving up on something you want. You've never given up on anything in your entire life."

Rydia jerked away from Mia's grasp. Her words stung and it brought reality crashing back down upon her. Even if she did give up on Roman, the reality of Nick was still there no matter what. She sunk back down onto the bench, running a hand through her wavy hair. "Ry, there is a song you sang last year that is perfect for what you need to feel." Mia commented trying to get through to her in a different way.

"Oh really? What would that be?"

It had been so long since Mia had used her voice for anything other than talk and yelling; but knowing that Rydia would appreciate the attempt gave her much satisfaction. She cleared her throat in attempted to quickly warm up her voice. Crossing her fingers behind her, she hoped that it didn't sound horrible.

"I won't give in, I'm not that easy

I'll live again and keep on breathing

I'll bleed my last regret

'Cause sometimes you gotta burn the past, yeah

To rise up, rise up from the ashes" Mia attempted to sing.

Rydia perked her head up, listening to the familiar words of a song that inspired her on so many levels. Before she could respond to her sister's attempts to get through to her, Nikki and Brie Bella rushed into the locker-room with panic written all over their faces. "What's wrong?" Mia asked.

"Roman was just suspend." Brie announced.

"What! Why?" Rydia asked.

"The word is that he hit Bray Wyatt twice without provocation." Nikki answered sympathy laced in her voice.

Mia shifted to gaze her sister. There were no words to describe the guilt stricken expression upon her face. Nikki and Brie didn't know what else to say to ease the impact of the news. Nikki felt bad for the woman before her. She didn't know how she'd handle it if their roles were reversed and it had been John that had been suspended.

"This is my fault. I need to see him." Rydia said quietly.

"I'd hurry. He's supposed to the leave the building." Brie suggested.

Without a second thought, Rydia bolted out of the door of the locker-room. The heels of her boots clicked along the tiled floor as she ran toward the parking lot exit. She had no idea what she would even say to him or even do when she saw him; but she had to at least see him. She knew that he had done far too much for her in the last few days and nothing would change her growing feelings for him.

Bray Wyatt caught a glimpse of chocolate hair turn the corner. He quietly started to follow her down the hall, wondering where she was going in such a hurry. Knowing that Roman had been suspended until further notice, made his job all the more simple. Roman was the muscle of the group and the others would be significantly weaker without him.

He couldn't help but stare at the way her body moved when she ran. The sway of her hips and the swishing of her hair back and forth sent his mind reeling with thoughts of the things he could do to her. She pushed open the doors towards the parking lot and he snuck in without touching the doors a second time. Crouching low behind a vehicle, he watched the scene unfold before his own eyes.

"Roman!" She shouted stopping his stride towards the black SUV.

Roman turned around. Rydia was out of breath from running as she slowly started to close the distance between them. The look in her eyes made him freeze completely. Her ocean eyes were bloodshot and left without makeup; but in his eyes, she was still the most beautiful woman out there. The heels of her boots echoed in the large vast parking lot.

"Rydia...what...what are you doing out here?" He asked choking on his own words.

"I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

He smiled. He loved her selfless ambition and unconsciously made the decision to reach out to touch her cheek with his fingertips. She swiftly looked up from the ground to gaze into his dark eyes. His touch sent shivers up her spine and it was then that she realized that Mia was right. "This isn't your fault, Ry. I let my emotions get the better of me. There is no one to blame but me."

"I brought you into this mess. I didn't want anyone to get hurt because of me." She stated looking down to the ground.

"Hey, look at me."

She gazed back up at him. His smile was still present; but there was something else that caught her attention. There was no fear in his eyes or anywhere else on his demeanor. "I haven't ran yet and I'm not going to, believe that."

Rydia felt his warmth caress her fully as he pulled her into his arms. She lay her head against his chest, soaking in the comforting notion of feeling safe for the first time in over a week. He breathed in her scent from her hair and mentally kicked himself for letting Bray get inside his head enough to make him do things he'd regret. "Stay close to Mia and the others tonight, okay. I can't be in there to protect you." He whispered.

"I will. I'll be fine. I promise."

Roman let go of Rydia, allowing her to step back out of his arms. She discreetly wetted her lips, listening to the words echoing inside her mind. _**"Kiss him, kiss him you idiot." **_Her mind screamed; but there was also hesitation in her action to do so. There was still that fear of further harm coming to him if she embraced how she felt about him.

"You should go back inside. Don't have to be on TV tonight?" He asked.

"Yeah; but not until later in the show. Are you trying to get rid of me?"

Rydia laughed and gave him the sweetest smile she could muster up. It didn't take him long to laugh along with her. Both knew that neither wanted to rid themselves of the other. "Alright, I'll go back inside. If that's what you want." She stated and after seeing him nod his head in confirmation, she took several steps back towards the building.

Bray smiled after witnessing nothing at all; but he was at a loss for words when he saw her stop dead in mid-step. Roman watched her stop walking. She turned back towards him and walked quickly in his direction. Her hand cupped the back of his neck, bringing him close to her lips. The feeling of her lips against his, ignited the endless pool of desire within him.

Roman held her close to him, skillfully kissing her lips. His free hand cupped the back of her head while his fingers tangled themselves in her hair. She clung onto his t-shirt, keeping herself steady because her legs were starting to become like jelly. "Rydia..." Roman whispered against her lips.

"Hmm..." She replied mentally smiling.

He reluctantly pulled away from her. Her lips were swollen; but still begged to be kissed once again. Rydia was slightly confused as to why he pulled away; but figured it was due to where they were presently were and time constants. "I'm not going to run anymore. I had to come out here and tell you that before I lost my nerve."

"You're so beautiful." He commented and kissed her lips once again.

The heat of a blush rushed to her cheeks. He gently tapped her on her backside. "Now get back inside before I get in more trouble for escorting you back in there." He stated with a smile.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author Note: 50 reviews! That's awesome and it means a lot to me. I'd like to thank Pinayprincesa, ILoveAnime89, and HPSPNDW1101 for becoming followers to this story. I'd also like to thank DeeMarie426, LindaPipeBomb, THE Kid Hardy, and Leasha Orton for the reviews. This chapter introduces someone new to the fray. I hope everyone enjoys it.**

"_**Dreamscape in blanket silver grey**_

_**Homesick for a memory washed away**_

_**All light in hollow eyes is stardust**_

_**(stardust)"**_

_**'Stardust' by: Delain**_

Chapter 14: Bittersweet

Rydia turned back to look at Roman. Her lips were still tingling from their kiss; but she still was curious as to why he did what he did. As far as she knew Bray Wyatt had nothing to do with Nick. She also remembered Bray's words from the day before on Raw. _**"Does he know something I don't?"**_ She mentally asked herself.

"Why did you attack Bray Wyatt?" She asked quietly.

"He's been giving Nick inside information about all of us. He also wants you for himself. I guess I let my emotions get the better of me. I'm sorry."

She let what he spoke sink in. It made perfect sense to her; but it creeped her out on a whole different level. If Nick wanting her back wasn't bad enough, now she had to worry about Bray Wyatt. "You don't need to be sorry for protecting me. Honestly, I wish I could run from all of this; but I know no matter how far I'd run, he'd be right behind me. My only hope is that he gets caught and goes away for good."

Bray listened to her words and felt the anger rising within him. He had just witnessed something he had been trying to prevent from happening. Not only was he angry; but he also knew that Nick would be furious with the information as well. Swallowing his bitter hatred for Roman Reigns, he snuck out of the parking lot biding his time for a plan to form that would allow him access to what he really wanted.

"How long are you suspended for?"

"Until further notice..."

Rydia clenched her hands into fists at her sides. There was no reason for the drastic measure to be taken. She intended on talking to Hunter and Stephanie about lifting his sentence by telling them everything that was going on. Roman took hold of her hand and brushed his thumb across the soft skin along her knuckles. "This is my problem. I don't want you to get involved in it, okay." He stated and leaned down to kiss her lips chastely.

The kiss was short; but it still left Rydia feeling the electricity flowing through her entire body. He brought out every suppressed desire and awakened sensations she never thought she could feel. No matter what he thought she was involved in his problems, because she was the reason for the problems. She backed away and started for the entrance towards the building. Roman just watched her walk inside before getting inside his SUV.

The second the parking lot door closed behind her, Rydia continued on with a mission towards the office of The Authority. Her pace quickened and didn't stop to say 'hi' to anyone. There was only one thing on her mind and that getting Roman's sentence lifted so he could work again. There was more to it that just getting him to allowed to work again. She wanted him there with her. It made her feel safer when he was and she wasn't about to let him get in trouble for something that was clearly her fault.

The sign was large and flashy on the outside of the door. Her fist pounded loudly against the steel door. Stephanie answered moments later with a confused look upon her stern face. "Can we talk?" Rydia asked almost pleading.

"Can it wait? I'm kind of in the middle of something." She replied with softness to her voice.

"Not really. This is about Roman..."

Stephanie studied the younger woman's face. There was tears at the corners of her eyes. Sympathy was starting the tug at her heart and she stepped aside to allow the saddened woman inside. Rydia stopped dead when she came face to face with someone she recognized. "Is that you Rydia?" The female asked.

She stood slightly taller than Rydia and had long red hair with black highlights. Her nose was pierced and her blue eyes stood out from the caressed make-up around them. Stephanie was even more confused about the tense air around the two women. "Do you know each other?" She asked hoping to get an answer to her question.

"I know her. Everyone in the Dallas music industry knows who Skye Atherton is." Rydia replied.

"I'm flattered you say that about me; but don't sell yourself short Ry. You are well known to and greatly missed."

Skye took a step closer to her fellow musician remembering their history and their collaboration on a few songs back in the day. There was fear in the eyes of her long time friend and colleague. There could be only reason for that. Nick Grayson. She knew about him long before Rydia had entered his life. Unfortunately, it was she who put her with the group to begin with.

"So what did you need to talk about Rydia?" Stephanie asked breaking up the reunion.

"Hunter suspend Roman tonight."

"Yes, because he physically assaulted someone without provocation."

"That's a lie. I'm going to tell you everything that's been going on and I'm really hoping you lift his punishment, because I really need him here."

Stephanie raised an eyebrow at her words. She didn't understand what she was talking about. Watching them backstage, she knew that was a bond between them and figured this was about a budding romance; but seeing the fear on her face, it screamed something far worse. "Okay, tell me then." She stated.

"Mia brought me here to take me away from an abusive man; but he tracked me down. He physically assulted Dean Ambrose and Roman in a club and at the gym I had been training in. His name is Nick Grayson and has enlisted Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan to give him inside information about all of us. Roman was only protecting me." Rydia explained.

Skye gently touched her shoulder to comfort her. She had a feeling that Nick would be that kind of guy; but she had hoped that Rydia would be the woman for him and from her words she had been very wrong about the whole thing.

**Woman's Locker-Room**

Mia was beginning to worry about Rydia. She paced back and forth across the concrete floor waiting for her to return; but as the minutes continued to pass by, her concern became overwhelming and she had to know what was going on. She opened the door quickly and the sound of the door crashing against the wall causing the crew to look up from the their work for a moment.

"Mia!" Dean shouted from the end of the hallway.

She approached him and Seth cautiously. It seemed like they wanted to talk to her about something and from the look that was upon Seth's face it didn't seem like it was a good conversation pending. "What's wrong?" She asked stopping short of Dean's outstretched arms.

"Roman got suspended earlier." Seth replied.

"I know Brie and Nikki told us. Rydia went to find him." She replied finally accepting Dean's comforting embrace.

Seth closed his eyes solemnly. Seeing the happy couple in front of him reminded him of someone from his past that slipped through his grasp. He was by far happy himself, because he had the sisters to look after. They were like siblings to him and he would never let any harm come to them. He was kind of glad that she had slipped away, because now it was far too unsafe to be near him.

"Seth! Seth! Are you alright?" Mia asked waving a hand over his eyes.

"Yeah...I'm fine. I'm going to get ready for the match."

Before Dean or Mia could protest, he walked away without a second glance or thought. Mia knew that there was something bothering him and was beginning to wonder if it had something to do with Rydia. She snuggled her head deeper into Dean's chest. "He's not okay." She whispered.

"I think all of this is getting to him. He's also starting to feel like the fifth wheel."

"I can understand the Nick thing getting to him; but feeling like the fifth wheel is crazy. We never exclude him from anything we do."

"Look at it from his eyes...I have you and Roman has eyes from Rydia."

**Stephanie's Office**

"I'll lift it this time and I'll try to keep closer watch on the Wyatt Family; but I think maybe you should stay off TV tonight." Stephanie stated.

"Thank you; but I'm fine to work tonight."

"You have a bruise on your cheek. I don't think it would look good on TV. Take tonight off."

"What about Hunter?"

"I'll handle him. You tell Roman he is free to come back."

Rydia nodded her head and look her leave from the office with Skye right behind her. It was nice to see her again and the familiarity was comforting. Skye wanted to ask her about Nick; but decided against it due to the fear she had seen on her friend's face while talking about him to Stephanie. "So why are you here?" Rydia asked the curiosity finally taking over.

"Steph is my cousin. She asked me come visit her." Skye answered.

"I've known you for years and I never knew you were related to her. It's ironic now that I work for her."

Skye laughed outright; but the second she saw Dean, Seth and Mia on the backstage TV she stopped laughing. Dean was inside the ring against Luke Harper. Dean shifted around the bigger man to bring him down with a DDT. Seth bounced on the apron waiting for his turn. Dean's hand slapped against Seth's indicating a tag.

Rydia looked on realizing that Bray Wyatt was not at ringside with his fellow family members. AJ Lee with their partner for the night. Bray's absence alarmed her in more ways than one. Her eyes continued to watch Seth take the fight to Luke until he was attacked by Erick Rowan from the apron. Dean rushed into the ring taking him to the outside, while Mia pulled AJ down from the ropes. She smacked her face off the edge of ring.

"Seth..." Skye whispered forgetting that Rydia was standing next to her.

"Skye..." Rydia said softly

She raised an eyebrow at the reaction to seeing Seth on the TV. There was something definitely there; but Rydia didn't want to pry into that just yet. All she could do was touch her arm gently, offering her the same comfort she had given her just moments before hand. "Why don't you sing anymore?" Skye asked shaking her head from the image of Seth.

"After Nick and I broke up...I just didn't have it in me to find another group to be a part of."

"Sing with me again. I've been looking for you for a while cause you never answer your phone."

"I'm sorry, I've had a lot of things going on; but I honestly don't think I can."

"Why? Are you afraid you'll have fun?"

Rydia let out a sigh. Skye had always been a stubborn person. She was also persistent with things she wanted. Her eyes shifted from Rydia back to the TV to see Seth lifted up and slammed into the announce table. Her heart skipped in shock to see such violence directed at him. The TV cut out and Skye turned back to face a confused Rydia.

"Why do you want me?"

"You have the perfect voice to match mine. Plus, the song is for someone in my past."

"Fine..."

Skye squealed with joy and wrapped her arms around her neck, hugging her tightly. Rydia smiled knowing that she had made someone happy just by doing something she was good at. Skye let go of her when she heard a twisted laugh that sent a chill up her spine. The two women turned to see Bray Wyatt standing there with a wicked smile upon his lips.

"You didn't heed my warning, sweet angel." He stated staring directly into Rydia's eyes.

"You aren't going to scare me into giving up my feelings for Roman." Rydia stated standing her ground.

"Eventually you will."

"Don't threaten her!" Skye interrupted.

Rydia held her hand up to stop Skye from saying anything else that would increase her chances on becoming a target herself. That was the last thing she wanted to have happen. There were enough people targeted by them and Rydia vowed that she wasn't going to let them hurt someone else because of her.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author Note: Thanks goes to Ortongirl1993, Tracy-Robinson47, and skipsshogun for becoming followers of this story. Thanks goes to Leasha Orton, THE Kid Hardy, and DeeMarie426 for reviewing. This chapter is going to mostly Seth based. I figured he needed some more character development and it will also feature something that's called a 'Lucid Dream'. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it for all of you.**

"_**Hush now, don't you cry**_

_**Wipe away the teardrop from your eye**_

_**You're lying safe in bed**_

_**It was all a bad dream**_

_**Spinning in your head**_

_**Your mind tricked you to feel the pain**_

_**Of someone close to you leaving the game of life**_

_**So here it is, another chance**_

_**Wide awake you face the day**_

_**Your dream is over...or has it just begun?"**_

_**'Silent Lucidity' by: Queensryche**_

Chapter 15: Lucidity

Rydia wasn't in mood to deal with the creepy Bray Wyatt. Skye was also annoyed with the present situation; but she knew Rydia well enough to know that she always wanted to do things on her own. Her eyes narrowed just waiting for something to happened. "Bray you need to just walk away. You're never going to have me and neither is Nick. You can tell him I said that. I know you've giving him information about all of us anyway." Rydia stated before taking hold of Skye's arm and pulling her along with her down the hall.

"Be careful what you say little girl. Bad things may come your way." Bray whispered to himself before turning in the opposite direction.

Mia walked in stride next to Dean as they helped Seth back to the trainer's room. After being put through a table during the tapping, he complained that his knee was hurting. Mia just shrugged it off as just something minor until she saw him lift his pant leg up to reveal the swollen skin around the kneecap. "Seth that looks awful." She commented covering her mouth in concern.

"That's the last thing we need. You being injured is not good at all." Dean stated taking hold of Mia's hand.

"Don't you think I know this already. You don't need to remind me." Seth snapped.

Mia let out a sigh of frustration. She understood his pain. Feeling left out always brought out the worst sides in humanity. Seth was no different. Now that his friends were occupied with their own personal relationships, he was becoming distant from the group. She wanted him to know that both she and Rydia cared about him like a brother.

She released Dean's hand and stepped closer toward the struggling man sitting on the table. The trainer took a closer look at Seth's knee. Mia reached out and took hold of both his hand. Both blonde and black strains of hair fell into his chocolate eyes. Her touch caught him off guard. "You know Rydia and I care about you like a brother, right?"

"I know..." Seth whispered not really believing his own words.

"Do you? Because it doesn't seem like it. Pushing us away isn't going to ease your pain. I know you are feeling left out and maybe this whole thing with Nick is getting to you; but we need you"

Seth shifted his gaze away from Mia. The pain in his knee intensified when the trainer started to press on the tender flesh. She watching him cringe, holding back a groan of pain. "Could you guys leave me alone for a while." Seth barked out harshly.

Dean raised his hands up and turned away; but Mia remained hesitant. Seth's eyes burned with an intense fury of emotions. She had never seen such emotions swirling in his irises. Locks of her hair fell into her ocean eyes before she turned away following Dean out the door. She didn't want to leave him alone. The fear of the possibility of him walking away from all of them burned in her heart.

"Mia..." Dean spoke softly while wrapping his arms around her.

"This is all so wrong. He has to know that we care about him. What the hell is going on inside his head that preventing him from opening up to us?" She babbled muffled by her face buried in his chest.

"There was a woman that he completely fell for a year or so ago. He's just never recovered from it."

Rydia turned down the long hallway with Skye next to her. It had been over six months since she saw her last and she was overjoyed to see her; but something was definitely different about her. People just don't show up without a reason and she was curious as to what Stephanie's reason for having her come out of her way to be there.

Mia and Dean were standing outside the trainer's room when they turned the corner. Something seemed off with them as well and she also noticed Skye's hesitance in approaching them. Dean's eyes came in contact and the rage was obvious. "What the hell are you doing here?" He snapped moving Mia away from him.

"Nice to see you to Dean." Skye replied.

"Skye is that you?" Mia asked.

"You guys know each other?"

Skye smiled and crossed her arms over her chest. Rydia knew there was history and from the looks of things it wasn't good history. Dean's harsh tone of voice suggested something happened between them or between someone he cared about. Then it hit her. The connection was Seth. "Skye has been friends with Rydia for years. It's nice to see a friendly face around here that isn't out out get us." Mia replied.

"Speak for yourself. So Skye, why are you here anyway?" Dean asked keeping his voice tone level.

"I completely understand your hostility towards me. I actually deserve it; but I'm here to make amends. Where is he anyway?" Skye asked.

"Nowhere where you can hurt him." Dean snapped.

Skye let out another sigh in disappointment. She didn't think it would be this hard to come back and make things right with someone she cared so deeply for. It really didn't surprise her to see Dean's hostility. He had always been the one that didn't like her right from the very beginning. Being related to Stephanie McMahon didn't help matters either.

"Lighten up, let her say what she has to say." Mia said with a smile.

"Not in a million years. She ripped his heart out and he's never recovered since then. Now he's pushing all of us away and I have her to blame for that."

Mia quieted up and didn't speak another word on the subject, because now she knew who the woman was that had cause Seth to turn on them. It was Skye Atherton, the woman who brought music to Rydia's life. She thought on how ironic it was. It really was a small world and the connections wove in deeper between all of them.

"I'll let it go tonight; but I do want to speak to him eventually." Skye said softly before walking away from the group.

The moment Skye was out of sight, the trainer's door opened and Seth walked out limping with a heavily wrapped knee. Rydia gasped at the sight and immediately was concerned about him. Their eyes connected for a split second before he looked away from her. "Seth, are you alright?" Rydia asked taking a hesitant step closer to him.

"I have to go for an MRI tomorrow morning, so no I'm not okay." He replied in a harsh voice that made her flinch.

The thought of Seth turning on all of them felt like a knife just stabbed her in the chest. Tears stung the corners of her eyes. Seth couldn't bear the sight of her crying so he turned his back to her and began to walk gingerly away from them. He hated being harsh to all of them; but he just needed some time alone and if he simply asked they would never give it to him.

**The Hotel, Seth's Room**

Seth lay staring at the ceiling in total darkness. Flashes of the match between him, Dean and Mia against Luke Harper, Erick Rowan and AJ Lee replayed inside his chaotic mind over and over again. His knee was throbbing in pain against the propped up pillow underneath. The mistake he made would never go away. He now had to pay the consequences.

"I'm such an idiot." He shouted at himself slamming his fist into the pillow next to him.

His phone beeped with a text message. He debated on ignoring it altogether; but it there was always that emergency with Rydia that he didn't want to miss. Grabbing his phone from the floor, he swiped his thumb over the screen to see a name he hadn't seen in a year. Skye. _**"I'm in town and I want to talk. Can we meet somewhere tomorrow? SKYE"**_ It read.

"_**I have an MRI in the morning. Maybe after; depends on what you want to talk about."**_

His heart was beating so rapidly he thought it would surely explode from happiness to hear from her once again; but there was doubt in the back of his mind. She had walked away from him a year ago to pursue a musical career and he never tried to make it work. He continuously beat himself up for not trying to see if it could work. The beep of a reply jerked him out of his inner thoughts.

"_**Please just talk to me. I don't want to do this texting. It's not right. I need to do this face to face."**_

"_**Fine...my MRI is at 7am. Meet me outside the hospital at 8:30."**_

"_**Thank you and I'll be there."**_

He didn't bother to respond. All he could do was think about her and the memories he had with her. His eyes closed and before he knew he was dragged into a dream that seemed more real than fantasy. His never seemed to remember his dreams upon waking; but he knew lots of people that could remember almost every dream they had while asleep.

_Seth opened his eyes and found himself in front of Skye. Her soft blue eyes sparkled in the sunshine for they were standing in the very spot she had walked away from him. The ocean waves continued to washed up against their bare feet. "I want to continue with my music and I hope you understand." She spoke; but her words were muffled to his ears; but he knew exactly what she was saying._

"_I do understand and I want you to be happy wherever you go." He replied on instinct because that was what he had said to her that day._

_ She reached out to him and took his hand into her own, brushing her thumb along the roughness of his skin. He thought about the what if's and the scene changed to his will; but even seeing things he wanted to see there was a price to pay for wanting things the way he wanted them to be. Seth reached out to her; but her hands were ice cold. Skye was laying in a pool of her own blood. The light from her eyes were gone and there was nothing left but an empty shell._

"_Skye...Skye..." He repeated over and over again hoping they would bring her back to life._

"_Seth..." Her voice whispered before fading away._

_ He closed his eyes and tried to will a different outcome; but nothing would come to him. His brain had a mind of its own and one that wasn't going to let him enjoy the dream that was presently playing inside it. He screamed in frustration and anger. He screamed for Skye and he screamed to anyone that would hear him._

"Seth, wake up!" Roman's voice demanded.

Seth shot up from the dream he was engulfed in and was held steady by a familiar face. Roman looked at his friend with concern. His eyes were wet from obvious tears spent during the night's duration. "What are you doing here?" He asked moving his sore body to a sitting position.

"Dude, you were screaming in your sleep. I had to come wake you up before someone called the cops or something."

"Thanks I guess...I got to leave for my MRI."

"I know. I'm driving you there. You can't drive with your leg the way it is."

Seth stood up weakly and took a few steps before the pain resurfaced full force. He began to limp to the bathroom to change. Roman took note of his odd behavior and put it together with what Rydia had told him about what he acted like at the arena. Seth was clearly trying to push them all away and it seemed it was all because of recent events.

"You know you can always talk to us about anything, right?" Roman asked loud enough so he could hear through the door.

When he got no response to his question, he took it upon himself to guess that he was not welcome there at all. Roman turned to leave when the bathroom door opened. "I just need some time alone to sort some things out. You guys don't really need me right now anyway." He replied pulling his hair into a low ponytail.

"Alright; but Rydia does need you. You sort the stuff you have to with Skye and get your ass back in gear."

"I don't need you telling me what to do."

"Do you want to abandon her and your friends then?"

"I'm not abandoning anyone!"

Roman made an annoyed sound and turned his back on him. Seth instantly regretting acting that way; but he couldn't take it back now that Roman already had left the room. All he could do now was do what he needed to do and hope that they would all forgive him when the time came to ask for it.

Seth made his way down to the lobby and out to the parking garage. He reached into his pocket for the keys to his rental. There were endless things racing through his mind that overwhelmed him to the point of clenching his hands around the steering wheel until his skin turned pure white. The release of anger didn't help ease his mind from the dream of Skye.

**The Hospital**

The specialists took great care not to put him in too much pain while moving his knee around to get the images they needed for a detailed report of the injury. The swelling had gone down significantly since the injury happened, which was a good sign that there was nothing seriously wrong. The wait for the results was the hard part. It was hard to stop his head from thinking about the worst case scenarios.

"Seth..." The nurse called.

"Yes..."

"The results are in, please come back with me to discuss them."

The tone of voice she presented instantly alarmed him. He limped back to the conference room. The doctor sat behind a large oak desk looking at the MRI photos. Seth was no doctor; but looking at the photo's he could see some things were not right about it. "Please sit down." The Doctor offered with a simple hand gesture.

"So what's wrong?" Seth asked.

"It looks like you have a torn ACL. You will definitely need surgery to repair it if you want to continue wrestling."

"When can we do that?"

"How about tomorrow morning?"

"That's fine..."

He slowly stood up to shake the doctor's hand. The nurse came in with a pair of crutches. Seth eyed them closely dreading the thought of using them for a long period of time. He also dreaded the thought of being out of action for a few months. The nurse adjusted them for his height before sending him on his way.

Outside the hospital, Skye waiting for Seth to arrive. She wore a pair of black ripped leggins with a boots over top of them of silver. Her shirt was a silver tank top with a scoop neck line. A long silver chain hung around her neck that held the large platinum tigerlilly pendant Seth had given her for a her birthday over a year ago.

The wait was killing her. She wanted to see him again and apologize for making the wrong choice. It wasn't entirely wrong, she loved music; but she gave him up to do something she could have done with him. Seeing Rydia again only confirmed that anything can happen if you want it bad enough.

"Skye..." His voice called.

She swiftly turned around to see him slowing walking towards her with crutches. Skye instantly knew that the MRI results must have been bad for him to be on crutches. Seth couldn't believe that she was actually right in front of him. He had thought about that moment hundreds of times over. She took a small step closer to him, choking on her words that she had planed on saying to him the moment she laid eyes on him.

"How are you?" He asked breaking the silence first.

"I've been better. How about you?" She replied with her own question.

Seth really didn't know how to answer her question. He was pretty sure that she knew about Rydia's dilemma and the things surrounding her; but he didn't know if she knew about the part he played in it. "I've been busy more than usual..." He finally told her.

"The Nick thing I'm guessing. I'm glad you're helping her out. Rydia deserves so much more than having him stalk her. Unfortunately, I'm kind of to blame for that."

"What do you mean?"

"Almost six years ago, I caught wind of Rydia's voice and placed her with a band that was in need of another singer. They warmed up to her pretty fast and before I knew it their popularity skyrocketed within the Dallas area. Nick was sketchy even then and I had second thoughts about putting her with them. I should have listened to my second thoughts."

"How could you possibly know what would happen? That isn't your fault and I highly doubt Ry blames you for it either."

Skye looked up from her hands at the sound of Rydia's nickname coming out of his mouth. She smiled at him understanding that he was close enough to her to be able to call her by that name. "You're pretty close to her aren't you?" She asked praying that it didn't sound like jealousy was infused with her voice.

"She's been a great friend same with Mia."

Relief washed over her in more ways than one and her smile only brightened, allowing her feelings for him entwine with her smile. Seth gazed at her, remembering that smile when it was meant for him. He wanted to know exactly why she asked to see him. It wasn't about small chit-chat about a friend they had in common.

"So why did you really ask to see me? It wasn't to talk about Rydia was it?"

"No, I wanted to see you because I wanted to apologize."

"Apologize for what?"

Again, the memories of what they had flowed into his head. Skye took hold of his hand that hung loosely over the left crutch. The feel of her touch sent spark up his arm and down his spine. The feeling was still same after all this time. "For walking away from you. It was clearly a mistake and I regret it." She admitted hoping that his reaction would be a positive one.

"What do you want me to say?" He asked.

"I was hoping for something good to come from this. I missed you Seth."

As much as he wanted to hear those words come from her mouth, he wasn't ready to accept them just yet. He still doubted her intentions. How was he to know that she wouldn't just take off again like she did the last time they got close? He pulled his hand away from her grasp and closed his eyes in both physical and emotional pain.

"I missed you to; but I'm can't just let you back into my heart. You may have walked away; but I didn't exactly give chase either. I haven't forgiven myself for that. I'm sorry that I wasted your time."

He began to walk away towards his parked car. Skye felt like everything was repeating all over again and she refused to let that happen a second time. She had to prove to him that her feelings were still there and very real. "Seth, I will prove you that I'm not going anywhere this time." She yelled but he never looked back.

**End Note: I'm curious to know who your favorite character is and your favorite couple or potential couple. I hope your enjoyed this new installment.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Author Note: Thanks goes out to DeeMarie426, LindaPipeBomb, Leasha Orton, and THE Kid Hardy for the awesome reviews. All you readers are simply amazing and I wouldn't be able to continue this without the encouraging words. I hope you all enjoy the new chapter. The lyrics in this installment don't belong to me. They belong to the band Delain.**

"_**As I stand in the rain of this cold day**_

_**Tears are the words when I cannot confess the pain**_

_**Time will heal**_

_**But I don't want to feel**_

_**Cry in the rain**_

_**Release the pain**_

_**So**_

_**Cry now**_

_**Cry now and let it go"**_

_**'One Cold Day' by: Lacuna Coil**_

Chapter 16: Birthday From Hell (Part 1)

Bray stood outside the hospital watching the conversation between Seth and Skye end in such a bitter way. She stood frozen in the same spot as Seth walked away leaving her with words that she definitely didn't want to hear. He almost wanted to laugh at her; but seeing the heartbroken look in her eyes prevented him from doing so.

"So why did you ask me here, Bray?" Nick's voice asked from behind.

"Take a look." He stated pointing his finger at the heartbroken woman a few feet from them.

Nick squinted his eyes to get a clearer look at who the man was pointing to. Once the vision cleared enough to see whom he was talking about, a sly smile developed on his lips. He watched her lower her head in shame and a low laughter escaped his throat.

"Well well I didn't think I'd see her again. This just gets better and better doesn't it. Do you know why she's here?" Nick asked.

"From what I've seen, it's for Seth and Rydia. She wants Rydia to get back into music again."

"I see...is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Bray knew that he should tell him about Rydia's budding relationship with Roman Reigns; but for some reason he didn't feel that the man should know about it just yet. He'd eventually find out himself without him spilling the beans. "Mia and Dean are officially seeing each other. Rydia is finished with basics in training. She will be sent to NXT for the final bit of training." He replied.

"That a girl, build yourself up to the top; because I'm just going to bring you crashing down." Nick commented.

"What do you intend to do?"

"Wait and see...patience is a virtue my friend."

Bray smiled a fake smile. He didn't trust him at all and there was an inner darkness inside Nick that even Bray didn't want to admit he saw. He thought he was seeing the world in a dark way; but the man next to him saw it in a much darker way and he was hell bent on making his vision come true no matter the cost.

**March 18****th****, Two Months Later**

Mia awoke feeling groggy and unrested. Over the last two months, she had to be extra supportive to the others since Seth had decided to keep his distance from everyone in the group. After being injured and feeling like a fifth wheel, Seth turned on them. Rydia's heart felt heavy with a burden, because she felt like it was her fault.

She turned to see her sister still asleep in a restless slumber in the bed across from her. Though, Roman was still around for her, Rydia still felt closed off and distance from him. Seeing Seth's reaction with everything, Rydia believed deep down that Roman would do the very same thing. The ringing of her phone snapped her out of the bitter thoughts of the world around them.

Seeing her mother's name across the screen made her smile brightly. She almost had forget that today was an important day in her mother's life.

"Hello mom!" Mia greeted.

"Happy Birthday." Her mother replied in a taunting sweet voice.

"Thank you. So how are you and dad doing?"

"We are fine. We are just wondering when you are going to be bringing that new boyfriend of yours around so we can meet him."

Mia laughed and tilted her phone against her chin. She walked out of the hotel room and into the hallway. Leaning against the cool of the door, her eyes closed trying to think of a good excuse for them not to meet Dean. "I don't think that's a good idea yet. We haven't been together that long yet." She replied as honestly as she possibly could.

"Are you afraid of what your father would do?"

"Not really. Dean is pretty damn capable to handle anything, trust me on that."

Saying those words brought back everything they've endured as a couple and even before they became one. Nick and Bray have caused utter chaos within the group. Hearing her mother laugh, made her forget all about the horrible things she's had to see. "How is Rydia? She's being evasive again. Is that man treating her good?"

"Roman is a saint; but they aren't really together. They've kissed once and that's about it. She's kind of pushed him away cause of some personal things inside her head."

"You aren't going to elaborate on that are you?"

"Sorry mom; but I can't."

"Just tell her to call me when she can, okay."

"Tell her yourself, come to San Antonio. Skye talked her into singing with her tonight at Bonham Exchange for my birthday."

Her mother was silent for a moment and that always meant that there was thinking involved.

**Inside The Room**

Rydia awoke and rolled out of bed. Her phone fell onto the floor with a loud thud. She looked down and slowly retrieved the device. The screen lit up and she could see three missed called and five text messages waiting for her attention. The calls were from her mother and also two of the text messages. They were reminding her that it was Mia's 26th birthday, which was only a reminded that there was only twenty-six days left before she turned twenty-seven.

"Thanks mom for reminding me..." She whispered before deleting the messages.

Being only eleven months apart in age made it difficult for their mother growing up; but as they got older they respected their parents more and more. The remaining text messages were from Roman asking about Mia's birthday. He wanted to know what to get her and also what Dean could get her for their first birthday together.

Rydia quickly replied to his questions and sent a quick invitation text to Seth. She missed him greatly and never realized how close she had become with him until he turned his back on them. Things just weren't the same without him and knowing that made her come to a conclusion that things were different between Roman and her as well.

"Ry? Are you okay?" Mia asked walking back into the room.

"Not really; but Happy Birthday sis." She replied with a forced smile.

Mia smiled and wrapped her arms around Rydia. Their bonds had been tested on several occasions since Nick began his games; but no matter what was thrown at them, they continued to stay close. "You need to stop beating yourself up for what happened with Seth. He will come around when he's ready. As for Roman, you need to stop pushing him away."

"You don't understand. You realize that all of this is my fault. Because I'm here, you all get hurt in some way. After tonight, I'm done. I'm going home."

Rydia walked passed her sister and entered the bathroom. Mia couldn't understand what would make her want to go home. A place that was pretty much foreign now and a place where she would be unsafe and vulnerable. A day that was supposed to be for her happiness has already started to turn into sadness.

Inside the bathroom, Rydia collapsed to her knees allowing all the tears she had been holding back for months out in cries of emotional pain that left her body shaking and weak. All she ever wanted was for her life to be normal and have a happy ending with a husband and kids of her own; but the way it has been going, her dreams were nothing but a vision that was fading away.

**San Antonio, Texas: Bonham Exchange Nightclub**

Skye was busy helping her band set their equipment on the stage. They could hear the people lining up outside complaining about the long wait to get inside. Her nerves were bothering her more than usual and she knew why. It was her one chance to get through to Seth and bring him back to group and for her to make him understand that she wasn't going anywhere.

She couldn't deny that having this gig on Mia's birthday was completely on purpose. It had a greater chance for him to show up if it was played in the name of Mia's day of birth than for any other reason. Her hand wrapped around the microphone and set it in place; but she lingered a little longer than necessary. She was envisioning Seth standing out in the crowd smiling at her and finally letting down the mask he hides himself behind.

"You ready for this?" Rydia asked stepping onto the stage.

Skye turned to see her best friend dressed in a black tank top dress, the front shorter than the back. Her boots laced the whole way to her knees, slightly above them a little. A long silver chain hung around her neck with a pendant her father had given her several years prior. The necklace held a sentimental value to her and wore it to remind herself that she could still do what she was born to do, and that was to sing her heart out to the world.

"As ready as I'll ever be. Thank for doing this, I know you really didn't want to."

"If my life can't be the way I want it to, then I want to help you get yours back the way you had it."

Rydia's eyes still burned with the tears she had let out hours before hand. Skye smile and took hold of her hand. In a few moments, they would have to let all their outside problems go and pour their hearts out to the crowd. Rydia walked away and began to look for Mia. People were starting to pile into the building, occupying the tables on the upper level and hovering over the bar.

The difference between Rydia's cover band 'Endless Dreams' and Skye's cover band 'Lost Souls' was that Skye stuck with one band to cover and that was the Netherlands band Delain. Rydia's mixed things up with multiple famous international bands.

"There is the birthday girl." Skye said with a smile as Mia approached them.

"Thanks. I appreciate you putting this together for me. I need something fun to take my mind off the crappy stuff."

"No problem at all. I intending on doing this anyway. This is the only way I know how to express my feelings, so I'm hoping Seth shows up tonight."

Mia could understand her feelings. They all wanted Seth to be there; but none of them have heard from him in weeks, so the odds of him actually showing up were slim. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied Roman and Dean walking in. Dean was holding a small bundle of roses in his hand. Her smile always made his heart skip a beat or two upon seeing it.

"Happy Birthday, princess." He said leaning in to kiss her lips.

"Thank you." She replied taking the roses he handed to her.

Roman glanced in Rydia's direction hoping to hear her say anything to him. The only time she really talked to him was at work or when he asked a question. Her eyes held much pain behind them and the only thing he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and hold her. "Mia! Rydia!" A familiar voice screamed.

The sisters turned to see two very familiar faces approaching them. Mia smile only brightened which confused Roman and Dean. "Mom! Dad!" She screamed back with a wave of her hand. Dean's heart dropped to his stomach. He never expected to meet her parents in the two months of their relationship. The older gentleman stared at him for a moment before turning to hug his daughter.

"This is an amazing present. I missed you guys so much." Mia said hugging them for dear life.

"We missed you to; but you did invite us." Karen, her mother replied.

They turned towards Rydia. She smiled and wrapped her arms around them both. She was thrilled to see them in so many ways. Out of instinct, she looked around the club for signs of Nick or Bray. It would be just like them to ruin a good day like Mia's birthday. "Are you going to introduce us?" Karen asked hinting towards Roman and Dean.

"Mom, this is Dean Ambrose. He's my boyfriend." Mia introduced with a hopeful smile towards her father.

Paul reached out and accepted Dean's handshake. Rydia looked over at Roman. He wondered if she was going to introduce him or was she going to let Mia do it. Paul looked at him straight in the eyes. "Rydia, who is this?" He asked.

"His name is Roman." She stated simply.

"Ry, that isn't any way to treat someone who has eyes for you."

Roman swallowed the lump of surprise. He never would have imagine Rydia's father to say such a thing. Him threatening to tear his head off if he hurt his daughter was more along the lines of what he expected; but definitely not what he had just spoken. Skye smiled and stepped back onto the stage to issue sound testing before she started her night.

Mia escorted everyone to a table close to the stage where everyone could sit down. Karen and Paul sat down next to Mia. Dean took the seat on the other side of his girlfriend and it left two seats for Roman and Rydia to side next to each other. _**"Please show up, Seth. I can't bear to see Skye's face if you don't."**_ She mentally pleaded.

The music started off slow before kicking into a hard rock riff. Skye walked out onto the stage much to the happiness of the front crowd. Rydia watched closely, remembering the days when those people would be cheering for her. Roman causally placed his hand on top of hers. Without looking at him, she turned her hand to twine her fingers through his.

Seth walked into the club to see Skye pouring her heart out to the crowd. He caught sight of Mia and the others at the closest table to the stage. There were two older people with them, which he assumed were the sisters' parents. Song after song was sung. Sweat continued to drip from her forehead to the floor under the hot lights and she remained as beautiful as ever.

"Alright guys, this is our last song of the night." Skye announced.

The crowd sounded displeased with the announcement and in some ways Seth could relate. He loved hearing her voice and still did despite his distrust of her at the moment. She reached out and touched hands with some of the crowd members.

"I got a special guest to help me with this song and if your from the Dallas area than you may know her from the band 'Endless Dreams'."

The crowd instantly cheered louder. Seth knew who she was talking about and he couldn't believe that he was about to hear her voice that she had been hiding from all of them since the beginning. Roman squeezed her hand tighter and then let go so she could stand up when called.

"Let me introduce to you, Rydia Chandler..."

Rydia stood up from the chair she had be occupying and walked up onto the stage. Looking out into the large crowd before, it brought back memories of the days she spent going from club to club. She could hear her parents cheer her own and it made her smile. "This is called 'My Masquerade' and it goes out to someone special in my life. I just hope he's here to hear it tonight." Skye stated before turning her back to the crowd.

Seth's heart started to race upon hearing her words. He leaned against the railing on the top level watching intently to the women closest to him about to pour their heart out. A slow eerie sounding intro began and they walked across the stage. The drums started to take over when Skye lifted her microphone to her lips.

"Your face, my face

You breathe, I breathe

You fail, I fake

I pray, I pray..."

Rydia smiled and waved her hand when she lifted her microphone to her lips.

"You lose, I lose

You bruise, I bruise

I hunt, you stay

My prey, my prey"

The women came closer together to sing the chorus.

"My masquerade

My Masquerade

If you're not afraid

To take a step into my world"

Rydia's smile was starting to become plastered to her lips. The more she sung the more she felt at home. Roman never moved from his current posture. He was so into her voice that nothing else mattered. The second verse went on the same way as the first, taking turns with the words. Seth walked down the steps to get to the first floor. He pushed people out of the way to get to the front just as she sung the words that meant more to her than the other ones.

"Take off your mask

The world will see

The freak in you

The freak in me

Tonight we hide

From judging eyes" Skye sung with her hand out to the crowd.

"Take off your mask

The world will see

The freak in you

The freak in me

Tonight we hide

From judging eyes" Rydia repeated with the same gesture, soaking in the crowds energy.

"We'll dance until the sunrise" They sang together, their voice merging together perfectly.

After the song was over, the crowd screams to a deafening level. Tears burning in the corners of their eyes for different reasons. Seth called out to Skye; but she couldn't hear him over the loud screams from the crowd he was twined within. He felt small in that world once again. He could never compete with the love people had for her voice.

Mia rose to her feet and cheered jumping up and down for them. Dean was overly thrilled to see her so happy. That was until she turned to see her father clenching his chest. "Daddy?" She called out in concern.

"Paul, are you alright? What's wrong?" Karen asked pleadingly.

He couldn't form words in his mouth. He couldn't seem to catch a breath at all. Roman reaching into his pocket for his phone to call 911. Paul collapsed onto the floor. His body twitching from muscle spasms. Rydia caught sight of what was going on and instantly leapt off the stage and slid on her knees next to her father's prone body.

"Daddy!" She screamed hoping to see a response but there was none.

The paramedics rushing into the club and surrounded the family in disarray. Rydia refused to let go of her father until Roman physically picked her up to let them work. She screamed out in frustration and tears rolled down her cheeks filling her heart with despair. Roman held onto her, allowing her to pound her fist against his chest.

Mia watched helplessly as they wheeled her father out on stretcher with a breathing tube down his throat. She felt numb and empty. Dean wrapped a comforting hand around her and in a split second turned to bury her face in his chest. Karen followed the paramedics out of the club to ride with her husband to the nearest hospital.

Skye stood quietly watching the whole event unfold before her very eyes. Tears quickly started to burn her eyes and all she could do was let them fall. Seth kept his distance away from the group but the nagging voice in his voice to be there for them was overwhelming. He took several steps towards them. Skye watched closely waiting to see if he'd turn in her direction; but he never did. His attention was on Rydia in Roman's arms.

"Seth..." Roman warned softly.


	17. Chapter 17

**Author Note: 62 reviews! That's amazing! I'd like to thank DeeMarie426, Leasha Orton, THE Kid Hardy, and LindaPipeBomb for the reviews. Well this is the conclusion to the last chapter and I hope you all enjoy it as much as the first part.**

"_**Sometimes it's hard to let go**_

_**It's hard to move along the scars of life**_

_**Memories are blooming in the gloom**_

_**As I'm feeling so cold inside"**_

_**'One Cold Day' by: Lacuna Coil**_

Chapter 17: Birthday From Hell (Part 2)

Roman continued to stare at Seth, holding Rydia shaking body in his arms. She had just watched her father collapse right before her eyes. The paramedics took him to the nearby hospital with a breathing tube down his throat to assist breathing. He knew there was something terribly wrong. Mia held onto Dean for the comfort she utterly needed to stay calm in their current situation.

"So you showed..." Dean whispered.

Both Rydia and Mia looked up to see Seth standing there. His eyes held such sympathy and sorrow that the pain of their father escalated even further. Roman let Rydia out of his arms to see what she'd do. She stared into his facial expression and into his chocolate eyes. "I'm so sorry, Ry..." He started to apologize before she held her hand up to stop his words.

"Don't! Two months we've heard nothing from you at all. I've reached out to you numerous times. More than I should have obviously, because you threw it right back at me." She yelled with the river of tears still rolling down her face.

Skye stood frozen just watching the event unfold before her eyes. She wanted Seth to come to her; but she also knew that the others needed to mend their broken friendship before things got even worse. Without another thought, she took the hardest steps forward towards the tense reunion. Her hand went out to touch Rydia's shoulder.

"I'm going to head up to the hospital. Please bend this broken friendship before anything else happens to us. Your mom could use some support right now."

Before Rydia could respond to her best friend's words, Skye was already walking away with her head held low. That was not how she envisioned her night to go after she poured her heart out to hundreds of people. "She's right you know..." Mia stated straightening her posture and crossing her arms over her chest.

"I understand your problems with me now; but I'm here and ready to make amends with all of you and from the looks of things, I've you hurt you the most. Haven't I, Rydia?"

Rydia remained silent to his accusation. She turned her head to the side to avoid looking him in the eye. She didn't want to admit that his absence did hurt her on many levels within her heart. She could heart footsteps approaching her and felt a hand touch her face, escorting it to look directly at him. Seth's hand lingered on her soft skin longer than Roman liked.

"Save what you have to say. Mia and I need to go see our father." Rydia stated and walked back towards her sister.

The sisters walked away, leaving the friends in a bittersweet reunion of their own. Dean leaned against the nearest wall, while Roman sat down hunched over in a chair. His thoughts were not of what was in front of him, they were on Rydia and what she was going through. "Do you think what happened to Paul was natural causes?" Dean asked curiously.

"What makes you ask that?" Roman asked.

"It just seems like something that Nick or Bray would do to hurt them."

"If that's the case then we really need to be The Shield inside and outside the ring more than ever before." Seth replied

Roman raised an eyebrow at him. He wondered if it had to do with the time away that made him think more clearly or if it had to do with Rydia. "What's your reasoning for being here anyway, Seth?" Dean asked. Roman perked at the question, also wanting to know the answer.

"Rydia asked me to be here. She said it was Mia's birthday and that Skye was doing a gig here. I'm here because she asked me to and because I felt it was time to make amends." Seth answered.

Seth held his arm out with his hand clenched into a fist. Dean hesitated for a moment before holding his own arm out. They looked at Roman who was the most hesitant. "You need to apologize to Rydia. You are right; you did hurt her the most." Roman stated holding his clenched hand at his side.

"You have my word. I will fix our friendship."

Roman took a deep breath before holding his arm out. They had renewed their friendship and they were a unified group once more. Nick stood on the top level of the club watching them reunite. A sinister smile licked at his lips. He was pleased with the outcome of the night, except for the fact he now knew that Bray had been hiding things about Roman and Rydia's progressing relationship.

**The Hospital**

Mia and Rydia ran down the hall towards the service desk. Their blue eyes were bloodshot from crying so much in the moments leading up to them entering the building. The nurse eyed them instantly and took much concern in their emotions. "What can I help you with?" She asked.

"Our father was brought in here about a half hour ago. His name is Paul Chandler." Mia answered.

She worked diligently at the computer trying to find where their father was located within the vast hospital. Mia watched the woman's expression changed in a split second from hopeful to saddened. She knew then that there was something wrong. "Well it looked like he's being transferred to..."

"Mia...Rydia..." Another woman's voice addressed interrupting the nurse.

"Mom?" Rydia said questioning.

"What's wrong, mom?" Mia asked.

She couldn't form the words that needed to be said. Tears just rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably. Skye approached from behind and she wrapped her arms around the older woman in a comforting way. "He's gone isn't he?" Mia asked.

"Yes..." Skye answered.

"No! I refuse to believe that!" Rydia shouted clenching her hands into fists at her side. Her nails digging into her palms hard enough to cause her hands to bleed.

"You have to..." Karen whispered sobbing lightly.

Skye pulled the siblings closer to their mother and embraced all of them at the same time. At times she felt like a part of the family when she introduced Rydia to 'Endless Dreams'; but being there when their father died was unbearable. It should have been them there not her.

Mia let her walls crumble and allowed herself to cry for the first time. Her birthday had started out so well and ended up being a day from hell that would forever haunt her memory. Rydia twined her fingers through her younger sister's hand and held tightly. "Let's go home. There is nothing more we can do here." Their mother stated and simply walked through them.

"I'm going to head back the hotel. Someone needs to tell the others what's going on." Skye suggested.

"No, let's us do that. You need to talk to Seth. Tonight was supposed to be your big night was it not?" Mia replied.

"It doesn't matter. You guys matter more than that right now."

Mia gave her a half smile. It was the best she could muster up at that point. She appreciated Skye's honestly and her loyalty to her and Rydia; but it was something they needed her to do. "Thank you; but it's alright. Just go back and help them as much as you can with the other problem." Rydia stated pulling out her phone.

"Alright. I'll check on you guys later."

Riding in the backseat of their mother's SUV, Rydia held her phone close and tried to think of something to say to Roman before she called him. She felt cold and hollow. She wanted his warmth and his ability to make her forget all about the reality for just a little while. Her fingers swiped across the screen and tapping the icon for text message. She quickly typed in the words she wanted to say. _**"I want to see you."**_

"_**When? Where?"**_ He replied.

"_**An hour at the park."**_

"_**Okay."**_

Mia looked over at her sister. She knew there was so much hurt behind the stern expression upon her face. Their father was close to both of them; but he simply was closer to Rydia because of music. He was the one who encouraged her to follow her dream of becoming a singer and was the first to congratulate her on succeeding even if it wasn't a famous band. "What are we going to do now?" She whispered and collapsed in a fit of tears on Mia's lap.

"We will get through this. We won't let this bring us down. Dad would never forgive us if we did." Mia replied running her hand along Rydia's hair.

**The Hotel**

Skye ran into the lobby and stopped to catch her breath only to see Seth, Roman and Dean standing there talking amongst themselves. They turned in her direction and saw her bloodshot eyes and saddened expression on her pale skin. Roman already had a bad feeling when he had received Rydia's text and seeing Skye in such a state only confirmed his suspicions.

"Skye, what's wrong?" Seth asked.

"You will find out soon enough..."

Witnessing the event herself only made things worse in her eyes. The burning sensation returned and the tears returned when she tried so hard to stay strong in front of them. Seth reached out to her, taking a hold of her hand. Her sobs tore into his heart and all he could do was hold her. He knew something was very wrong after seeing Paul collapse out of nowhere.

"Does this have to do with Mia and Rydia?" Dean asked loudly and more forcefully than he had intended.

Skye nodded her head; but refrained from saying a word or even looking in their direction. All she wanted was to stay in Seth's arms, being comforted by the one person that could make some of the pain she was feeling go away.

Roman looked at the clock over the service desk and knew it was time for him to leave and meet Rydia. He honestly didn't know what he could do to help her through whatever it was that she was going through; but he wouldn't shy away from her either. He cared about her too much to do that and he wasn't about to let her go through anything alone ever again.

"I got to go meet her." Roman stated and began to walk away from the others.

As he drove the highway to get to the location Rydia issued, thoughts of her father invaded his mind. He wondered if Dean was right about Nick actually doing that to him to breaking her down to the point of giving in. The park was lit up by solar lights along the pathways and as he pulled into the empty parking lot, he could see her swinging alone on a child's swing.

Rydia looked up at the full moon in the dark sky, thinking of ways to come out and say what happened without breaking down. Coming to that place brought back a lot of memories from her childhood that she wanted to relive, even if he was no longer there to share them with her.

"Rydia..." Roman's voice called.

"He's gone..." She replied simply.

He closed his eyes taking in what she expressed. Somehow, deep down he felt that was the case the second he saw Skye break down in front of them in the hotel lobby. She stopped swinging and stood up. Her eyes were red from crying. Brown hair flowed across the invisible air in the path of the wind surrounding them. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry for pushing you away." She said again.

"Ry...don't apologize...you are going through things a lot of people have never been through."

Rydia started to walk towards him refusing to let him make excuses for her behavior towards him as of late. Since she kissed him two months ago, she felt horrible things would happen to him if she got closer; but now the reality had finally hit her directly in the face. It didn't matter what she did, Nick and Bray would always find a way to torment her and the people she cared about.

"You are the most selfless person I've ever met. You've never given up on me when so many other would have already." She explained.

"It's because I care. I have cared about you since day one. I told you that I would protect you no matter what and I'll continue to protect you even if you..."

He stopped mid-sentence and looked directly into her eyes. The distance between them grew smaller and smaller until he was only inches away from her lips. "Even if you don't want me the way I want you." He finished. She wanted him to kiss her and hold her, make her forget about the pain of losing her father.

"I'm not going to run anymore. I've come to realize that Nick will do something even I push everyone I care about away. He just proved that tonight and it was my wake-up call."

"What are you talking about? It's like you think Nick killed your father."

"Do you really think my father died of natural causes? I don't and I need to find a way to prove it."

Roman felt like her words were a statement of a mission she was hellbent on solving herself regardless of anyone else that would get in her way. He reached out and cupped her cheek in his palm. This was not something he wanted to see in her. Her father had just died and she was covering it up with anger and revenge, instead of feeling the pain she needed to feel to move on.

"Ry, that's something the police can take care. You need to be there for Mia and your mother during this time."

Rydia let the anger go for a moment and the pain came flooding back inside her heart. The pain was unbearable and the burning in her eyes was a sure sign of the tears that about the burst through the threshold of her lashes. "He used to take me here when I was a child..." She whispered and in that moment a heart-retching cry was heard from her throat.

Roman pulled her into his arms and allowed her to cry. He kissed her forehead, letting her know that he still cared about her. It was almost to the point that he was somewhat convinced that he was in love with her; but he wouldn't speak on that word until he was absolutely sure that's what the feeling was. "Roman...please don't leave..." She cried pleadingly.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here for as long as you need me to be."

He helped her to the backseat of his vehicle. Roman climbed in first and then escorted her in after. She lay her head on his lap. Their fingers were twined and his other hand was wrapped around her waist. It wasn't long before she fell asleep. He continued to watch her sleep until his phone began to ring. Seeing Mia's name on the I.D. he quickly answered it so as not to disturb Rydia's slumber.

"Hello..."

"Is Rydia with you?" She asked.

"Yes, she's asleep. What's wrong?"

"I was just concerned about her. She didn't tell me where she was going when she took off."

"She's fine. You have my condolences, Mia."

Mia sniffed as if she had just gotten done crying herself. "Thank you. Take care of her. If I lose her next I'll never be able to live and neither would our mother." She replied and quickly hung up the phone before Roman had a chance to reply.

"Don't worry, Mia. Nothing will ever happen to her. She's everything to me now."


	18. Chapter 18

**Author Note: I'd like to thank JemmaZoey, maryb1439, and tobypll for being followers to this story. I'd also like to thank DeeMarie426, Leasha Orton, THE Kid Hardy, and LindaPipeBomb for giving me awesome reviews. I hope you enjoy this new chapter. The lyrics at the end of the chapter are not mine. They belong to the band Dyonisis.**

"_**When you've lost your mind**_

_**Feel like no ones on your side**_

_**And you're lost in this lonely world**_

_**Living like it's over now**_

_**When you lost all hope just know**_

_**When you're lost you can always be found"**_

_**'Found' by: The Letter Black**_

Chapter 18: New Strength

Rydia awoke with a nagging pain in her neck and realized that she was still laying on Roman's lap. She had hoped everything that happened the previous night was just a horrible dream that she'd just wake up from; but seeing herself in the same place she fell asleep she knew that it was all a reality.

"Morning..." Roman greeted softly.

"Thank you..." She replied sitting up turning her head to relieve some of the pain in her neck.

She opened the car door and stepped out into the fresh spring air. It was mostly summer like weather in Texas and it made her feel a little more at ease knowing that she was is familiar territory. Roman was next to her in a matter of seconds. His long hair blew all around in the warm breeze. A few pieces waved under her nose, tickling her enough to make her smile a little.

"I probably should get back. Mia is going to give me an earful when I get home."

"She called me last night and I told her where you were. Don't worry everything is fine."

Rydia turned to looked at him directly. She couldn't believe that he was that devoted to her well being. Her heart started to pound inside her chest to a point of pain. He took her hand into his and brushed his thumb across the back of her fingers. "You...you really do care about me don't you?" She asked hesitantly.

"I told you that I did."

"I'm sorry..."

Roman held a finger to her lips to silence her apology. He didn't want to hear anymore of her regrets. Her lips were soft under his touch and he was starting to crave the feeling of them on his own. She reached up and rested her hand on his wrist. "Stop apologizing for everything. There is one thing I want you to understand and that's the fact I'm not going anywhere, no matter how much you push me away." He stated and moved his finger from her lips, turning to cup the back of her head.

"Roman..."

His lips crashed onto hers cuting the words off from her mouth. The same feeling of electricity engulfed her entire body. The second he felt her lips respond to his kiss, he knew that the feelings he held for her were so deep that he had no words to describe them. Her tongue lightly swiped against his barely parted mouth; but it didn't take more than a second for him to open up, allowing her access to his own tongue.

Shifting her body a little, Rydia found herself up against the door of his SUV. Her hands roamed up his chest, feeling every outline of the muscles obtained on his body. There was no denying that there was pent up frustration on his part; but judging from the way she was responding to his kisses, there was frustration in her as well.

"You might want to keep your hands to yourself." An all too familiar voice interrupted.

Roman broke the kiss and turned to see Bray Wyatt standing there with narrowed eyes and arms crossed over his chest. Rydia was still trying to take back control over her emotions and tried to suppress the tingling sensation throughout her core. "Why don't you crawl back into the hole you came out of. I'm in no mood to deal with you today." Roman snapped stepping in front of Rydia in a protective stance.

"Relax, I'm not here to fight you. I actually came here to warn her." He replied taking a step closer to the couple.

"Warn me about what?" Rydia asked cautiously.

"I've tried to keep your budding romance with the dog from Nick; but it would seem he knows now and his wrath is unfathomable. I would know. You also need to know that I had nothing to do with your father's death."

Rydia took his words into consideration; but she in no way believed he was sincere about only being there to warn her about Nick's growing wrath. Her anger about his insult to Roman was provoking her temper in the worst way. "First off, Roman is not a dog. Second, I could care less about your problems with him; and third, I don't believe you for a second that your only reason for being here was to warn me." Rydia snapped holding back greatly so as not to strike him.

"That's why you are perfect for me. You know me so well; but unfortunately you are wrong this time."

"You need to leave right now!" Roman warned clenching his hands at his side.

She placed a calming hand on his chest and gently pushed him back. Her sorrow filled eyes hit him like a ton of bricks. He relaxed and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "Please...just leave us alone. I've been through enough in the last three months." She pleaded with the crazed man.

"Nick won't ever stop..." Bray said before walking away with his head held low.

He had said all he could to convince her that he was telling the truth. Bray knew that he had no intention of physically harming her; but the look in her eyes when she spoke to him suggested that she believed otherwise.

**Chandler Household**

Mia sat on the steps of the front steps waiting for Rydia to return. Listening to the birds chirping and singing made her really think about her life. In just one day, she had lost her father. He had been a pillar of strength for her lean on when she lost hope of succeeding in the WWE. There were so many questions she wanted answers to. Among them was whether or not she had it in her to continue working.

"Mia, staring out into the yard for hours isn't going make her come home any faster." Her mother stated sitting down next to her.

"I know. How are you so calm right now? It hasn't even been a day since he died." Mia asked wiping stray tears from her eyes.

"I have to stay strong for you girls. You need me more than ever now. I can't be breaking down every second. He would yell at me if I did."

Mia leaned her head on her mother's comforting shoulder. Karen leaned over and kissed her daughter's forehead. They saw a silver sports car pull into the driveway and they stiffened, wondering if it was the police with official word of Paul's death. Mia's breath of air was caught in her throat when she saw Dean emerge from the vehicle.

Karen smiled on the inside. She was happy to know that her daughter had a man that was willing to be with her during a hard time in her life. Dean approached with a large bouquet of flowers. The walk to her house seemed like an eternity. He didn't know what kind of reception he'd receive when he got to the door.

"Dean...how did you find where I was?" Mia asked.

"You said you were going home, so I looked it up." He replied honestly.

"I'll leave you guys to talk." Karen said standing up.

"Wait! These are for you..."

Dean handed her the flowers. She took them with a smile. "Thank you. You are welcome to stay here tonight. The funeral is tomorrow." She announced and walked back inside the house, the screen door closing behind her.

He sat down next to Mia and placed his hand on top of her leg. She turned her hand and twined her fingers with his. She needed his comforting presence in every way possible. He felt the small box in his pocket dig into his thigh the second he sat down, reminding him that he still hadn't given her the present he had bought for her birthday.

"Thank you for coming. I needed you." She admitted resting her head on his shoulder.

"Why didn't you call or text me to come sooner? I would have came last night." He asked kissing her forehead.

"I thought I could deal with this alone; but I can't..."

Hearing her cry was the most heartbreaking thing he'd ever endured in his twenty-eight years. He held her, wishing there was something he could do to ease her pain; but the only thing he could do was be there for her during this dark time. "I know this isn't really a good time; but I never got a chance to give this to you." Dean said letting her rise from his shoulder.

"Give me what?" She asked wiping her face free of the tears.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. Her eyes widened a little upon seeing the item. She was hoping that he wasn't planing to ask her to marry him or something along those lines. It was a little too soon for that kind of commitment, even if she did think she loved him. Dean handed her the small box and was replied by a confused look. "Happy Birthday, princess." He whispered and kissed her lips.

Mia opened the box with a creak and inside lay a the most beautiful ring she had ever laid eyes on. White gold band, with two small diamond surrounding a heart-shaped aquamarine in the center. She couldn't form any words to describe how she felt about it. It completely caught her off guard. "It's not an engagement ring, Mia. Think of it as a promise." He assessed.

"A promise? You've made enough promises to me don't you think?"

"This is just a continuation of the last promise I made to you. I told you that I wasn't going anywhere and that ring symbolizes that. I love you and you need to know that."

The three words every woman wants to hear from a man just made her freeze up completely. He took the ring out of the box and gently placed it on her finger. She stared at it a moment, loving the way it sparkled in the sunlight. "It's beautiful...you really shouldn't have done this. I know it was pricy." She stated.

"Mia, look at me."

She lifted her head up to look him in the eyes. There was nothing but sincerity in his own blue orbs. Her feelings for him were still growing on a level that confused her. She never once had felt this way about anyone. Not even Randy. He cupped her cheek and brushed the skin with his thumb. "I love you. Nothing is too pricy for you." He said again.

"I love you to; but I'm afraid."

"There is no need to be afraid of those feelings."

"You're right..."

**Hotel, San Antonio**

Skye continued to pack her belongings into her bag, trying to forget the events of the last two months. She was beginning to regret coming back in the first place. Seth had no interest in letting her make amends for the mistake she had made over a year ago. She really couldn't blame him for feeling that way. Her decision to leave to pursue a career in music was a last minute thing. She gave him no warning at all.

After seeing Rydia's father collapse in the club, she felt like leaving one again; but she couldn't just leave her best friend in this time of need. Tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably as she zipped up the bag. She extending the handle and began to pull it behind her. When she walked out into the hall, Seth was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. It looked as though he was waiting for her.

"What are you doing here? I thought you'd be with the sisters by now." Skye stated closing the door behind her.

"I thought you'd want to go to."

"I'm heading there now."

Skye continued onward without saying another word to him. He knew that she was upset with everything that was going on around them. He also knew that gig was meant to send a message to him and he never responded to it. She never looked back once the whole time they walked towards the lobby.

"Seth!" Stephanie's voice echoed.

He stopped and turned in her direction. She approached them and smiled at Skye, giving her a loving hug. Stephanie held a small packet of papers in her hand and Seth guessed it was scripts for everyone for the next couple of weeks. "Send my condolences to Mia and Rydia."

"I will do that. It will be appreciated." He replied.

"These are the scripts for all of you for the next couple weeks. I haven't seen the others so I'll just give them all to you. I'm sure they are looking forward to your return."

"Thanks."

Stephanie reached out and touched Seth's shoulder sympatheticly. He turned to look at Skye. There was swirling emotions deep within her irises. He wished he knew what the best answer was. Rydia was hurt a lot by his actions two months in the making. At first, he felt sibling-like feelings for her; but he more he got to know her, he started to think it was more than that.

"Let's go. They need us." Skye said touching his arm softly.

Seth followed her out into the parking garage. He knew that Dean took the vehicle they shared on the trip there. Skye pretty much guessed that was the case and offered him a ride. He got into the passenger seat and opened the envelope. Everything was pretty generic for the most part, except for one thing. Rydia would part of it and would be involved with a member of the group onscreen. His eyes scanned further down and widened upon seeing the name of the one who would be involved with her. "It's me..." He whispered just as Skye got inside the car.

"It's you what?" She asked curiously.

"Rydia and I will be involved onscreen soon."

There was a moment of silence between them. Skye had a feeling that Seth was secretly happy about the onscreen romance; but he seemed so upset and she wondered why. "Are you okay?" She asked hoping that he'd give her a straight answer for once.

"If I go through with this, I'll hurt more than one person. It'll cause tension between all of us and we won't be able to protect Rydia from Nick."

"What about you and what you want?"

"I'm confused. My feelings for her are on the border between sibling and attraction; but you coming back has made be think about the past."

She wanted him to think about the past and what they had together. She wanted him to remember exactly how he felt about her and feel the same in the present. He leaned his head back against the rest on the seat, running a hand through his hair. Skye searched for words to say to his dilemma; instead, she turned the ignition and began to drive towards Mia and Rydia's family home.

Music started to flood into the enclosed space. The wind blowing through the open windows, caressing their skin and whipping their hair around. Skye reached over to take hold of his hand, without taking her eyes off the road. She was determined to prove to him and everyone else that she was there for him and not for some personal agenda.

Seth felt her warm hand take hold of his and without any hesitation he twined his fingers with hers. The music changed to an eerie intro, much like the song she sung the previous night. He wondered if she'd sing along to the words when they would start. She licked her lips, preparing herself to open her mouth.

"_We are more than the tone of the language on our lips_

_and we are more than the who with which we choose to share our hips_

_and we are more than the nights with the lovers we have lost_

_and we are more than the years full of memories best forgot_

_and we are more than the hate when they tell us what to think_

_'cause we are more than the brand of poisons that we drink_

_and we are more than the that lies we hide in ourselves_

_'cause we are more than the truths used as weapons when we tell_

_and we are more than the ways in which we chose to close hearts_

_'cause we are more than some of our many splintered parts."_

Her words dug deep into his heart. The song was a powerful one. In his eyes it meant that humanity was more than they were given credit for; but he mostly thought she was aiming it at their broken relationship. She was saying that they could overcome their previous problems and make a new relationship. He smiled at her and tightened his grip on her hand.

**End Note: Okay, so now I have a serious question. Should I up the rating to M? There are potentially some parts I could add that would make it an M rating; but its up to you guys if you want to see some of the stuff. Let me know what you think and what you'd like to see happen.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Author Note: Thanks goes to DefinitionOfRoyalty-2415 for becoming a follower of this story. Thanks goes to Leasha Orton, THE Kid Hardy, JohnsAngel22, LindaPipeBomb, and DeeMarie426 for the awesome reviews. It seems that most of you don't really care if I change the rating to M, so depending on how I write these next chapters it may or may not increase; but it's good to know that it won't bother any of you readers. I promise this is last depressing chapter for awhile.**

"_**Under water reflected**_

_**Flashes of life**_

_**Floating up from your lungs, your lips**_

_**When you decided to sail to the other side**_

_**You decided to sink to**_

_**Goodbye my lullaby**_

_**I will miss you"**_

_**'Lullaby' by: Delain**_

Chapter 19: Saying Goodbye

**Chandler Household**

Skye pulled into the driveway and saw Mia and Dean sitting on the porch holding hands. She envied how perfect they seemed to be as she thought about the problems with Seth and her wanting to make them right. She knew things would never be what they were in the past; but she was willing to try and make amends for the mistakes that were made by her.

"Is Rydia back yet?" Skye asked approaching the happy couple.

"Yeah they just got back a few minutes ago. Good luck getting to her though." Mia replied.

"What do you mean by that?" Seth asked.

Dean looked up from Mia's shoulder with a smile, knowing that Roman had finally gotten through to Rydia. "Roman is pretty much a guard dog at her door while she sleeps." He finally answered with a hint of a laugh in his voice.

Mia stood up and walked inside the house leave the three remaining friends to stand outside. The feeling of another wave of anguish was coursing throughout her entire body and she wanted to find a way to make it go away. Grabbing her purse from the entryway, she stepped into the half-bathroom by the kitchen and closed the door.

"Daddy..." She whispered before the flow of tears started to run down her cheeks.

The pain was too much for her to bear when she thought about all the memories she had with her father. Mia violently dug through her purse for the prescription bottle at the bottom. Knowing exactly what she was doing, her hand dumped out three of the little yellow pills into her opposite hand. The Dixie cup full of water was her means of swallowing the addictive substance.

Dean slid over so Seth could sit down next to him. Skye just stood in the same place wondering what was taking Mia so long. "Stephanie stopped me in the hotel before we left to come here." Seth stated hoping to get the news off his chest before Mia came back outside.

"Was she giving you the new scripts for the month?" Dean asked.

"Yeah and there is a problem..."

"What kind of problem?"

Skye didn't want to hear Seth say it again. She was already having a hard time keeping her jealousy in check when it came to Rydia and Seth's bond. Dean watched her closely, seeing her reaction to Seth's words. Judging from the expression on her face, nothing good was going to come out of his mouth.

"They decided to put Rydia and I in an onscreen relationship."

"Oh boy...they are just asking for Roman to blow a gasket."

Seth just nodded his head in an agreement. He knew all too well about Roman's protective nature when it came to things he cared about. Rydia included. Skye knew Mia was gone for way too long and it was beginning to worry her. "I'm going to go check on Mia." She stated and started up the steps.

The door to the downstairs bathroom was closed. Her hand curved into a fist; but before she could knock, Mia stepped out. Her blue eyes were completely bloodshot and glassy. The pupils were completely dilated. "Mia, what the hell? Do you think this is such a good idea." Skye whispered taking hold of her arm gently.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm fine."

"You're stoned. When did you start popping pills?"

"I'm not high and I'm not popping pills. I was crying that's why my eyes are bloodshot."

"I'm not blind. I've been there if you remember correctly."

Mia ignored Skye's advice and continued outside to rejoin Dean on the porch. Skye was torn about what to do. She didn't know whether or not to tell someone about Mia's problem; but the fact she didn't actually see Mia take the pills would not give her the advantage in proving it to her family and Dean.

**Several Hours Later**

_Roman silently opened Rydia's bedroom door. She was still asleep silently. Everyone had settled down for the night and he slipped inside the room. Her hands were gripped on the blanket. He couldn't help but bend down and chastely kiss her forehead before gently getting into the bed next to her. _

_ Rydia rolled over and slowly opened her eyes to greet him. There was a softness behind his eyes to made her smile. "What time is it?" She asked in a sleepy voice._

"_Around midnight." He answered._

"_Is everyone here? I know I've been sleeping a lot, so I didn't know if Skye and Seth arrived yet."_

"_Yeah they arrived shortly after you fell sleep."_

_ She rolled back over not wanting him to see her saddened expression. Things were not going the way she hoped they would once she started on the road with Mia three months ago. It was almost tempting to just give Nick what he wanted and protect everyone she loved; but not matter what, she couldn't give in. She was not that kind of person and never would be._

_ There were no more words exchanged. Rydia knew exactly what he'd say to her; but knowing that they would be burring her father in the morning it didn't make it any easier. She shifted back around to face Roman. His eyes were momentary closed; but opened upon feeling her breath on his lips. "Why do you hesitate? I thought we got passed all that." He asked wondering why she didn't follow through with the intended kiss._

_ There was silence and it alerted him instantly. He saw her frozen in fear expression as she stared off behind him. Her trembling hands were soaked in red after hearing a silent pop. Roman could see the blood gushing from her abdomen. He cried out in horror as he watched her collapse onto her back, gasping for air._

"_No! No! No! Rydia!" He cried._

_ Nick's laugh could be heard in the background along with words. "I warned you to stay away from her." He stated. Roman ignored his words and he applied pressure to Rydia's open wound with blankets. Her once vibrant blue eyes were losing their color at a fast pace._

"_Don't you dare leave me."_

Roman shot up from his slumber with a cry of Rydia's name. He looked around the room to make sure he was alone before running a hand through his sweat soaked hair. The couch he had been sleeping upon was completely soak in his sweat. He knew that he'd never be able to go back to sleep after dreaming such a nightmare.

Whipping the blanket off him and onto the back of the couch, he proceeded outside to the front porch. The sun was beginning to rise from east. The golden light was just barely touching the grass-line of the surrounding neighbors. "You're going to need help protecting her from him." Bray's voice entered his ears from behind.

"How do you figure?" Roman asked without turning to look at him.

"If you think her father was a shock, he's has a lot more in his mind."

Knowing that the man had been spying on the group for months, he had inside information about Nick that could be extremely useful in protecting the sisters. Especially Rydia. He wanted to know what Bray knew; but he also knew that Bray would never give the information without a price. "What do you know?" Roman asked anyway.

Bray laughed quietly so as not to alert the sleeping members in the household. "I ask a small price for the information I hold in my brain." He replied in a taunting voice. Roman snorted at the remark. Small price was a joke to him. Bray would be asking for something personal. That's the kind of man he was.

"What's your price?"

"A kiss from the sweet angel herself."

His answer make Roman freeze in the middle of a breath of air. Bray asking for something personal was dead on and it was one of the most personal things he could ask for. Roman had no idea what he should do. He didn't see Rydia subject to more torment just for information about her ex's plans. Bray took a few steps closer to the larger man. "Think about it. I've got all the time in the world; but her friends and family don't..."

**The Funeral**

Rydia and Mia sat next to their mother in the front pew across from the alter. Rydia felt completely numb listening to words of the priest. Skye shifted her gaze towards Mia. Her eyes were clear of red; but her pupils were completely a different story. There was no denying that she was high once again. She wondered how no one else noticed.

Roman kept watch on Rydia the entire sermon and once everything was all said and done, he kept close to her as the process of lowering her father into the ground proceeded. She held a single red rose close to her heart, remembering all the happy memories she didn't want to loose. Rose after rose was thrown into the pit on top of the casket.

"Goodbye daddy..." Rydia whispered and gently tossed the rose down the hole.

Roman reached for her and crossed his fingers through hers. She looked up at him, slighting squeezing his hand to let him know that she was grateful that he was there with her. He had his own inner turmoil of thoughts. He didn't want to see her go through another loss in her life; but he also didn't want to give Bray the one thing he wanted to the most.

Dean took hold of Mia's hand the moment they stepped up closer to the open hole in the ground. He noticed that she wasn't as distraught as he thought she would have been seeing her father in such a state. Something wasn't right about her; but he chose to ignore it for the sake of respect to her mother now being widowed.

Mia silently said her goodbye's and dropped the rose she had been holding into the hole. Her hands were beginning to shake and her vision was starting to blur with tears. She pushed herself away from the crowd and her concerned boyfriend that looked on in confusion. Skye noticed the event taking place and softly touched Seth's arm and stepped passed him in attempts to follow Mia.

Skye turned the corner towards the parking lot to see Mia digging into Dean's rental car. She wasn't about to miss the chance to know one-hundred percent for sure that she had a pill addiction. Mia took a small bottle out of her handbag and twisted the cap of the bottle of water she took from the vehicle. Tipping her head back, she swallowed the pills in her hand.

"When are you going to stop this?" Skye asked approaching the startled woman.

"Have you ever lost someone dear to you?" Mia cried throwing the empty bottle back into her bag.

Mia's hands were still shaking. It was too the point where she could barely hold the bottle of water in her hand. "Yes, I have. I lost both my parents in a plane crash when I seventeen; so trust me, I know how you are feeling." She replied wiping away a stray tear from her eye.

"Then you know I need to do something to stop this pain."

"Pills aren't the answer. Remember I've been there. You need to grieve like your sister and mother."

"Mind your own business Skye. No one invited you to this anyway."

The harsh words stung; but she wasn't about to let the high scare her from being a friend to someone who obviously needed more than love from a soul mate. Mia could see that Skye wasn't going to leave unless forced to. The anger she felt for the sudden loss of her father came swiftly to the surface and her flat palm connected to Skye's cheek in a loud slap.

"Get the hell away from me." Mia snapped.

"I'm not going anywhere. You need help and I'm going to help you."

Mia looked into the blue orbs of Skye's eyes. There was no hesitation or doubt in them. There was nothing but sincerity and determination. The pills were starting to take effect the high was starting all over again. "Will you keep this a secret? Dean doesn't need to know about this. He will probably leave me if he knew."

"I'll keep it for now. If I feel he needs to know, I will tell him; but you need to stop taking them. Not just for your family; but for yourself."

"Skye..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry for slapping you."

Skye laughed out of breath of air and pulled the woman into an embrace that made Mia realize the Skye was truly there to help her. The guilt for bringing this repulsive habit into her life was starting to eat away at her conscious. "It's alright. You are during a crash period. Come on let's go back before they start to wonder where we went."

They began to walk back to the grave site unknowing that they were being watched by very stern eyes. Nick smiled at the turn of events in Mia's life. His problem now was with Bray Wyatt and his possibility to spill his plans to Roman Reigns in exchange for a kiss. He had to make sure that didn't happen by any means necessary.


	20. Chapter 20

**Author Note: 75 reviews! I'm so thrilled to see the number continue to grow and it wouldn't be what it is without you awesome readers. Thanks goes to and vargas93 for becoming followers of this story. Thanks also goes to Leasha Orton, THE Kid Hardy, LindaPipeBomb and DeeMarie426 for the reviews. All of you readers amaze me and I love to see your continued support of this story. I hope you all enjoy this newest chapter.**

"_I'm dying to catch my breath_

_Oh why don't I ever learn?_

_I've lost all my trust,_

_though I've surely tried to turn it around_

_Can you still see the heart of me?_

_All my agony fades away_

_when you hold me in your embrace."_

_'All I Need' by: Within Temptation_

Chapter 20: Things Are Looking Up?

**2 Weeks Later**

Rydia stepped over the threshold of the arena. It seemed like such a long time since the last time she was inside one. The knowledge of her debut was making her nervous. The fact that she also had to do an onscreen romance with her friend made her uncomfortable. Roman had been against it from the start; but despite the attempts to have it changed, it remained the same. Stephanie assured her it would be a short lived romance, which gave little comfort.

Seth and her still haven't spoken one on one since Mia's birthday when she spoke her mind about how much she was hurt by his actions. She figured it was about time they did speak. They had to come to terms of the assignment given to them by the creative department. "Rydia!" Roman called from behind.

"Hey..." She replied hesitantly.

She had noticed a change in his behavior for over two weeks. He seemed lost in thought more than he should be and occasionally he would zone out and not hear a work spoken to him. Roman assured her that there was nothing wrong; but she could see right through the lie. "Are you nervous about tonight?" He asked leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"Yeah, I didn't expect my debut to be this soon."

"You're talented and that's why."

She was flattered by the compliment; but it still didn't ease her nervous butterflies in her stomach. The only thing she could hope for was that didn't mess anything up. Her eyes shifted to look at the floor instead of at him. He reached out and lifted her head back up with his fingertips. "Look at me." He whispered.

"Don't worry about the other part. Seth does his job well and as much as I don't like it, he'd never do anything to ruin our relationship." He explained.

"I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about you."

"Me? Why?"

Rydia reached out to place her hand onto of his. She wanted him to be open with her just as she was with him; but he wouldn't tell her what's been going on. She wondered if he didn't trust her or believe that she could handle whatever it was. "What's been going on with you?" She asked softly praying that he'd finally cave in and give her the answer she's been wanting.

"I told you before there is nothing wrong. I've just been thinking a lot about our situation with Nick and about this onscreen romance with Seth. Nothing to worry yourself over."

She wanted to believe that was all there was to it; but there was a nagging feeling deep within her heart to screamed that there was more. He leaned in closer and captured her lips with his own. The feeling of them on hers seared a passion and fueled the fire in the pit of her stomach. Rydia relaxed against the concrete wall behind her and allowed Roman to take the simple kiss and turn it into more.

His free hand slid down her side and caressed her hip. Her hands tangled themselves in his long hair, using it to pull him closer to her heated body. The longer they kissed that way, the more she wanted him and loose herself in the moment. She wanted to forget about everything horrible around her.

"Guys get a room, please." Mia's voice interrupted.

Rydia and Roman broke away in a split second of the interruption. Mia stood with her arms crossed over her chest and a small smile upon her lips. She looked tired and completely beat down. There were bags under eyes from lack of sleep; but there was evidence of her trying to cover it up with make-up.

"Sorry Mia..." Rydia apologized feeling like she was walking on eggshells around her mood swings as of late.

"It's fine, don't worry about it. I'm just not myself today."

Mia walked off and entered the woman's locker-room. Rydia looked at Roman with a confused look upon her face. He returned the same look. He didn't know anything about her sudden change either. "I really should talk to Seth before the show. Do you mind?" She asked.

"Nah, go on. I'll catch up with you later."

She smiled and stood on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his lips. He watched her walk away before turning in the opposite direction towards the parking garage to grab his bags. The second he walking to the spacious part of the building, Dean was standing next to his rental car. He angry expression was minor compared to what Roman thought was really going through his mind after reading the words written on the side of the car. "Your girlfriend is a pill addict!"

"What the fuck is is?" Dean yelled throwing his hands up in the air.

"My guess is Nick has been here." Roman answered placing a hand on the angered man's shoulder.

"I don't care. She is not a pill addict."

Roman didn't want to tell him that there could be chance that Mia was a pill addict. All he could think about what her mood changes over the last couple of weeks and the fact that she wasn't crying at all during her father's funeral. He didn't want to tell Dean that he was in denial and needed to accept the fact that maybe she was.

Rydia stood outside the door to the locker-room Seth, Dean and Roman shared. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Within moments, Seth opened the door dressed in his ring gear. The second he saw her, his mind raced with thoughts of what to say to her. This was his opportunity to apologize for hurting almost three months ago.

"Can we talk?" Rydia asked.

"Sure, come in." He replied.

She crossed her hands together in front of her as she sat down on the metal chair placed at the far corner of the room. Seth closed the door to bring privacy to the conversation. Looking at her in that moment made him realize just how beautiful she really was and how difficult this role was going to be on him.

"Why did you walk away from us?" She asked abruptly.

"I needed some time to think. Nick's appearance and the fact that neither you nor Mia really needed me was heavy on my heart."

Lifting her head up from the sight of her hands, she met his watchful gaze and saw the hope in his eyes. He wanted her to forgive him. It was like he was desperate for her forgiveness. She didn't understand why he thought that they didn't need him. There was no reason to think that at all. "That's not true. We do need you...I need you."

"Ry...I'm sorry that I wasn't around; but you have to understand that it was overwhelming. Skye returning to the picture didn't help either. It brought back memories from the past I wanted to forget."

"I'm sorry too..."

"You have nothing to be sorry about."

Rydia let out a sigh, knowing that wasn't entirely true. She didn't know how to explain to him exactly what happened in a way that wouldn't upset him; but there was just no way around it. As much as she wanted her friend back in her life, he deserved to know what happened last year. "Seth, the reason Skye walked away from you last year was because of me." She admitted.

"What do you mean?"

"At the time, I was still heavily involved with 'Endless Dreams'; but I was invited to an independent gig that I wanted Skye to be a part of as well. The thing was that we had to travel to Ireland. I was selfish and didn't want to go alone."

Seth smiled and reached out to her by cupping her cheek in his palm. Her eyes searched his for a reason behind his soft gesture. She expected him to be furious for the reason behind Skye walking away from him. "It was her choice to go, Ry. You might have been her reason; but the choice was still hers."

He leaned in a little closer and placed his warm lips against her cheek. Knowing the reason behind Skye walking away was much more comforting. Seth also knew that his bond with Rydia was mended and their friendship restored; but it didn't dim the urge to find out exactly how he felt about her. He guessed that he'd find that out soon enough when they participated in an onscreen romance.

"Are you okay with what they put us in?" Rydia asked quietly.

"It's going to be weird; but it'll be fine. We can handle it."

"You're right, we can."

She wrapped her arms around his torso. The embrace was short lived and she began to walk away towards the door. As she reached for the handle, her body froze. "By the way, I think you should talk to Skye on a personal level. The only person she talked about in Ireland was you." She confessed and proceeded out the door letting the words sink into Seth's mind.

**Monday Night Raw**

As the show proceeded, Daniel Bryan was still trying to get Triple H to fight him at Wrestlemania only to have the authority have him lying in the center of the ring unconscious from a violent beat-down. The Shield made their way to ring to confront the actions of Kane and The New Age Outlaws. The trio made short work of the Authority's lackeys.

AJ Lee's music interrupted their celebration, indicating that it was their turn to leave the ring. Tamina hung closer just as every other match she had. Roman and Dean started back towards the barricade; but AJ's voice stopped them abruptly.

"Wait! Hold on! Hold on! I know what history you have with the little Mia Chandler and her sister Rydia. It's shame your manager isn't around so I can prove once again that I am the best diva in the world." She gloated.

Seth smiled and signaled for a microphone of his own. Tamina crossed her arms over her chest awaiting for the architect of The Shield to speak his mind. The crowd were chanting 'Hounds of Justice' only to made the diva in the ring agitated.

"It's funny you should say that, because I believe there is a woman back there who is dying to prove you wrong." He replied.

In a matter of seconds a sound of static started up, diving in a straight hard rock song called 'Breakout' by The Letter Black. The titantron's video was of none other than Rydia herself. The crowd grew ecstatic about the in-ring debut of the woman that's been the manager of The Shield for quiet some time.

Seth's smile grew the second he saw the brunette dressed in a black tank top and silver vinyl shorts. Dog tags hung around her neck and her hair was left curled at the ends to add more pop to her outfit. Her ring boots were of the combat style, trying to stay close to her friends' ring attire. AJ's cocky smile faded and was replaced by an irritated look of disgust.

Rydia got into the ring, feeling the nervous butterflies fluttering inside her stomach. She suppressed them down enough to make the first stand against the Diva's Champion. AJ was one woman she didn't mind working with. AJ lifted the microphone back to her lips. "Oh so you decided to show yourself. You are the last on my list to prove myself to the world that I'm the best."

A smile curved at Rydia's glossed lips and she leaned in so her voice would be heard over the mic. "You're going to have a hard time doing that, because I'm not going to quit until I beat you." She stated and shoved AJ down so her butt landed on the mat.

Tamina stepped up and blocked AJ from further attack. Rydia never moved from her spot in the ring. Laughter was filled through arena to nails on a chalkboard standards.

"Oh that's rich. If you want to get to me, you got to go through her to get there."

"Fine!" Rydia yelled.

"I'll tell you what sunshine; if you beat Tamina tonight, I'll give you a title shot on the grandest stage of them all...Wrestlemania."

The Shield liked what the Diva's champion proposed. Roman's personal feelings were started to show more than they should. A loving smile tugged at his lips seeing her life take a turn for the better since loosing her father three weeks prior. Dean gave a concealed elbow to the side to snap him out of his thoughts and pay attention to what he was doing.

A referee slid into the ring to official the match about to take place between the two women. Taking off her dog tags and handing them to the referee, her fear of messing up returned. She knew Tamina had far more experience than her and she hoped that she could pick up on a few things as they battled. AJ stepped down from the apron and sat down next to JBL at commentary. The three members of The Shield remained where they were just simply watching their friend and manager in her very first match on live TV.

Tamina locked up with Rydia in the center of the ring; but neither could gain the advantage in that position, so Tamina took a shot to kick her in the knee. It brought her down for a moment. Just long enough to gain the upper hand early on. A swift elbow was caught on the side of the jaw of Rydia's face before falling to the mat once more.

Seth became concerned, playing the part the company wanted. He shouted to her and gave her helpful advice. AJ sneered at him from a few feet away in what seemed like a jealous behavior on her part.

She got back to her feet and just as Tamina took hold of her hair, Rydia grabbed her head to deliver a neck breaker. The technique stunned the bigger woman for a moment. Rydia took the opening to gain some much needed offense. Taking hold of Tamina's long reddish brown hair, she slammed her face into her knee and gave her a clothesline. "That a girl!" Seth cheered from the apron.

Realizing that there was a connection between Rydia and Seth, AJ took it upon herself to try distracting the newest Diva. She stormed up Seth and swiftly turned him around to face her. Her hand connected with the side of his face in a loud slap. Rydia saw the unprovoked attack and was instantly distracted.

Tamina took the opportunity to roll Rydia up and steal a win; but at the last moment Rydia kicked out. Angered, Rydia kicked her adversary in the stomach. Her arm snaked around her neck and swiftly rolled around using a rolling cutter maneuver she called 'Sweet Dreams'. Scrambling, she covered Tamina and gained the victory in her first match on Raw. AJ screamed out in frustration realizing that she now had to face Rydia at Wrestlemania.

Seth slid into the ring and raised her arm up. She turned into his embrace and welcomed his kiss. His lips were soft and eager. The feeling was different to her. There were no emotions to follow through. The second his lips touched hers a rush of adrenaline surged throughout his entire body; but quickly died down. It was the feeling of being kissed for the first time in a long time and he had his answer to how he really felt about Rydia.

**After the Show**

Mia couldn't stop feeling uneasy about everything around her. Her hands were shaky and her body felt the urge to cure the withdrawal. Shaking her head, she continued to walk towards the parking garage. The sight of the words on Dean's rental made her freeze mid-step.

"No..." She whispered.

"He knows." Skye's voice replied.

"Which means Dean knows now."

"That is if he believes the words. I wouldn't stress yourself over it."

Skye watched Mia's eyes fill up with tears as she walked towards her own vehicle. She knew that she wanted to stick around and see Dean; but staying away was the best thing when she was going through a crash withdrawal period. _**"I'm sorry, Mia; but this is truly the best thing for you. I hope you understand that."**_ She thought to herself as she got into the passenger seat.


	21. Chapter 21

**Author Note: Thanks goes to jamie. .9 and wildfirerose for becoming a followers of this story. Thanks also goes to THE Kid Hardy, DeeMarie426 and Leasha Orton for the awesome reviews. I love reading your thoughts. Like always, I hope you all enjoy this new chapter, it contains strong moments for the entire group.**

"_**Oh cursed fate eternally**_

_**Deliver me your doom**_

_**But know true hope it born**_

_**My faith is stronger than your agonies**_

_**Hope survives your pain"**_

_**'Village and Void' from: Final Fantasy XIII-2**_

Chapter 21: Dropping the Veil

Mia's eyes continued to burn with tears. She didn't know how long her secret would be kept hidden. Her anger and frustration was growing more intense with each passing day. She missed Dean with a fury of passion within her heart. Skye watched her friend with sorrowful eyes. She couldn't imagine feeling what Mia was in that moment.

Back when she had a pill addiction to pain killers, she had no one to help her through the pain and the struggle to get clean. She hoped that Mia understood that she really was there to help her no matter what. Rydia was her best friend and she wasn't about to let her little sister go through the same thing alone. It was time that Dean knew the truth and they both knew it.

"I'm going to tell him." Mia finally stated as she pulled into the parking lot of the hotel they would staying in for the night.

"Are you sure?" Skye asked.

"Yes, it needs to come from me."

Skye placed a comforting hand on her shoulder letting the woman know that she was there with her. Mia shrugged the gesture away and got out of the car. A beep came from Skye's phone simultaneously as she got out of the car. She wondered who would be texting her at that time; but when she looked at the screen and saw the name, her heart began to race uncontrollably.

"I'll see you in the morning. I need to do this now before things get out of hand and Nick ruins my life."

"Stay strong and let him know that you are trying to get clean."

"I'll text you later."

"Good luck."

Mia gave her a half smile and continued on towards the front doors. Skye swiped her finger against the screen of her phone to read the message that had been sent to her by Seth. It seemed odd to her that he would text her at that point in time; but she was still curious as to what the message read. _**"Can we talk?"**_ Was all it read.

"_**Sure, where and when?"**_ She typed and sent.

"_**My room. I'll be there shortly. The number is 1102."**_

"_**Alright."**_

Something didn't seem right and all the warning signs were flashing red inside her mind. She slowly walked towards the elevator to reach the second floor. Her room was the very last room at the end of the long hall. After unlocking the door, she sat her bags down on the floor and reached down inside the side pocket of the larger of the two bags. Her hand pulled out a photo of herself and Seth from last year the week before she made the decision to walk away.

Her thumb brushed across the glossy paper thinking about the day it was taken. A smile curved at her lips and she quickly folded the picture up and returned it to its original place within her bag. It was time to make her way down to the first floor and find out what Seth wanted to talk about.

**The Arena**

Rydia packed up the last remaining items into her pull-along bag. Mia's sudden leaving alarmed her in more ways than one. She knew that after their father died things have been different with her. Her attitude charged drasticly and her mood swings were closer together. Almost like she was bi-polar or hormonally imbalanced.

"You ready yet?" Roman asked from the open doorway.

"Yeah, so what is this surprise you have for me?" She asked trying to get him to spill his guts to her.

"It's called a surprise for a reason, Ry. I'm not saying a word."

Her bottom lips came out in a pout. He laughed and closed the small distance between them so he could kiss her lips. She smiled against his lips and pulled away, pushing him out the door as she pulled her bag behind her. Roman led the way towards the parking garage and opened the passenger door to his rental for her to get inside.

The butterflies returned in her stomach just as they had when she stepped into the ring to look AJ Lee in the eye for the first time on live TV. It had been a successful night to say the least and she was proud of herself for not messing up anything. It took almost three months to get where she was and now that she had tasted the success, she didn't want to give it up.

"Were you okay tonight?" Roman asked.

"Yeah, it felt great being out there in front of all those people." She answered with a smile and tucked a large chunk of hair behind her right ear.

"That's not what I meant. I meant about the kiss between you and Seth."

Rydia wasn't surprised that he asked her that. He was being cautious about Seth's intentions and he had every right to be that way. She reached over and took hold of his hand, twining her fingers through his. "There is nothing to worry about. I felt nothing when he kissed me. You are who I want."

"That's good to know."

His smile returned and it made her heart flutter ever single time she saw it. She watched him pull into a slightly crowded parking lot of a restaurant she had never heard of. Her surprise was starting to become clear to her. They had never had an official first date and it seemed to her that was exactly what he intended to give her.

**Hotel Room 301**

Mia slowly made her way towards Dean's room. Words continuously ran through her mind, trying to find the best way to tell him about what has been happening with her over the last several weeks; but there has been no easy way to put it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Please don't be asleep." She whispered.

The door unlocked and Dean stood in the open doorway with his hair disheveled, scattered in every direction. It didn't matter to her, he still looked amazing in her eyes. His eyes glassy from waking up from sleep. She felt bad for waking him up; but she had to get it off her chest and get it out in the open.

"Mia..." He said softly with a wanting in his voice.

"Can we talk? There is something I need to tell you."

Without any words at all, he stepped aside to allow her inside his room. The second she walked passed him, she could smell his cologne on his body. The desire for him escalated, making it really hard to concentrate on what needed to be done; but she remained calm and proceeded to sit down at the edge of the bed.

"I was wondering when I was going to get to see you for more than five minutes." Dean commented crossing his arms over his chest while leaning against the nearest wall.

"I guess I deserved that comment."

"Am I going to get a reason as to why that is?"

"You saw it didn't you? The words written on your car tonight."

Dean shifted his body to look directly at her. There was an urgency in her voice that alarmed him into thinking that there was something really wrong. "How could I miss it?" He replied in a soft stern statement.

"This should have come from me a long time ago; but now that Nick knows and pretty much revealed it to you, I need to come clean about it."

"So it's true then?"

"Yes...I wanted to tell you; but I've been struggling with the loss of my dad."

He remained where he was for a moment before taking steps closer to her. The guilt was taking over and tears began to roll down her cheeks. Dean didn't know what to say to her to make it okay. He didn't want her be that way and wanted her to be the woman he had fallen in love with, not the shell she was now.

"I'm sorry. I am trying to get clean. Skye has been helping me."

"Mia...why didn't you tell me this sooner. I could have paid for the help you needed instead of relying her, someone untrustworthy in my eyes."

Mia remembered that Dean had never forgiven Skye for leaving Seth over a year ago. Before she actually met Seth, she didn't know whom Skye was referring to when she talked about letting her soul mate go; but now that she had met him, she couldn't understand her logic. "If I went to rehab, I'd loose my job and I didn't want to loose that to. My dad was the reason I pushed through all the hardships and continued on when I wanted to give up. He's the reason I made it this far. Without his guidance I would never have met you."

Dean knew her well enough to know that everything she spoke was the truth. He's never seen her lie except to protect someone she cared about, meaning Rydia. He knelt down in front of her and took her trembling hands into his own. "This is the grief you needed to feel at the funeral. You can't cover up the emotions with drugs or pills."

"I know that now. I should have let you be there for me. I just didn't want you to see me so weak."

"It's not weak to grieve over someone."

She pulled her hands away from his and wiped away her falling tears. In her mind, she had a pretty good idea of how this was going to end just by looking at the expression on his face. Mia stood up and began to walk towards the door. "I think I kind of already know where this is going. I'm just going to go and save yourself the trouble of saying it." She stated.

Dean scrambled from the floor and pulled at the junction of her elbow. He realized that she assumed that he was leaving her and that was far from the truth. Mia turned to look at his hand holding her arm. "I'm not going anywhere. You need me more than ever now. If I left because of something like this, I'd be contradicting myself and that ring on your finger would mean nothing."

"My sister is already walking on eggshells around me cause of my ever changing moods. I don't want you to be on the receiving end of that."

Mia turned away and yanked her arm free of his grasp. She turned the handle of the door and slightly pulled it open before Dean pushed it shut behind her. She was trapped between his arms with her back against the door. He leaned in closer just barely hovering over her lips. "I love you and don't you ever doubt that."

His lips came in contact with hers and all her walls came crashing down around her. She returned his kiss in an explosion of passion. Her hands snaked around his neck, pulling him closer. Dean moved away from her lips and proceeded with a nip to the hollow of her neck and gentle kisses to the sensitive skin.

Mia was overwhelmed by the sensations she was feeling within her own body and feeling his want against her lower stomach. Before she could blink, he picked her up and held her against the cold door with her legs wrapped around his waist. "I love you..." She whispered.

He lifted his head away from her neck and looked directly into her eyes for a moment before smiling. He loved it when he heard those words come out her mouth. It was time he proved just how much he did love her by giving her what she wanted and needed. "I love you to, princess."

**Hotel Room 1102**

Skye hesitated in knocking on the door. So many thoughts were running through her mind; but the one thing that was clear was that she hoped that Mia got a positive result in telling Dean the truth. Her fist finally connected with the door and in a few seconds Seth opened the door, greeting her with a smile.

"Come on in." He stated.

She walked passed him, hoping that it wasn't a bad idea to be there. Seth closed the door behind him. After the kiss between himself and Rydia on live TV he finally understood that his feelings for her weren't what he thought. During the whole gesture, he couldn't help but feel like he was betraying Skye at every move of his lips.

Her long red and black hair sparkled against the lights adding more to her already present beauty. It was a perfect contrast to her blue eyes. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" She asked curiously.

"I know the real reason you left."

His words caught her off guard, not expecting those particular words to come out of his mouth. Thinking about it made her feel even worse about everything. She could have told Rydia 'no' when she asked her to go with her to Ireland; but the fact was, she didn't and it was forever embedded into her mind.

"So she told you..." Skye whispered looking away from him.

"Just so you know, I could have handled not seeing you for a couple months. I would have understood why you wanted to go."

"Seth...I'm..."

He held a finger to her lips to silence her obvious rambling attempt. He had only one thing in mind for this conversation. It was something he had to do and get her to know that he still cared deeply for her. His finger left her lips and traveled to the back of her neck. Skye blinked several times trying it comprehend what he was doing.

"Seth...what...are..."

Before she could say another word, his lips captured hers. The connection was electric and it sent sparks throughout both of their bodies. It was the feeling he had been looking for the whole time he was sorting out his confused feelings. He regretted turning her away from the beginning; but he just had to know if she was genuinely there for him.

Skye savored the feeling of his warm lips on her own. She had been dreaming of his kiss for so long that she almost had forgotten what it actually felt like for real. Her hands reached up and cupped his face, hoping to make it last a little longer.

"I'm sorry that I doubted your intentions." He whispered against her still parted lips.

"Don't apologize. You had every reason to not trust me."

"It doesn't matter. The past is the past and the future is now."

Skye smiled and wrapped her arms around him, holding on for dear life. Her heart was racing and it felt like it could escape her chest at any given moment. His lips placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. He knew that Nick would eventually find out and target her just like the sisters. He couldn't let him harm her now that he finally had her back in his life. _**"I'll think of something."**_ He mentally told himself.

**Kemoll's Fine Dining**

Rydia sat across from Roman in a secluded table away from all the other customers. She figured he had done his research on her taste in food, because the restaurant was Italian and it happened to be her favorite type of food. Unfortunately they were a little under dressed for the place; but in her eyes it didn't matter. She had all her wanted right in front of her and the guilt of not letting him be that person sooner was starting to weigh heavy on her heart.

"Is this okay for you?" He asked softly.

"This is perfect. How did you know that Italian food is my favorite?" She replied with her own question.

"Mia told me about a month ago."

Rydia chuckled a little, realizing that Roman had had this planned for quite some time before it actually happened. Nothing could have prepared her for him when he appeared out of nowhere on that plane three months ago. The waiter returned to their table carrying two plates of pasta. He placed one with baby shrimp on top in front of Rydia and one with chunks of chicken on top in front of Roman. "Enjoy your meals." He stated and walked away.

Roman continued to watch her, loving every detail of her. He noticed how delicate she was when she took her first bite of the food in front of her. She chewed daintily and he found it to be the most adorable thing. Looking up from her plate, she met his gaze and wondered why he was just watching her.

"What? Is there something on my face?" She asked wiping her mouth with her napkin.

"No, I just admiring just how beautiful you are."

The heat in her cheeks returned, turning them to a light shade of pink. Now it was Roman's turn to chuckle. He never expected her to blush so easily; but it also concerned him. He thought maybe she had never heard such compliments before from a man and if that was the case then he made a mental note to say things to her more often.

"Roman..."

"Yeah..."

"Thank you for being so patient with me. No one would have stuck around as I tried to figure things out."

Roman reached over across the table and took hold of her hand. The feeling of his skin touching hers made her body instantly ignite. "There is no need to thank me. I told you that I wasn't going to give up on you no matter what happens. From the first time I saw you, you were all I could think about. You are everything."

Another blush tinted her cheeks and before she knew it Roman had leaned the whole way over the table to capture her lips. Her hand instinctively reached up to touch his face. New feelings swelled in her heart and she was pretty sure it was the one word she never thought would exist in her life. Love.

**End Note: I had originally planned on putting a full scene of intimacy; but I decided against it due to not know if you readers would like to read it or not. Let me know what you guys think about it. Would you want to read something like that?**


	22. Chapter 22

**Author Note: Thanks goes to darkestdaysbrowneyes, Brittney-xx, WWEMoxGirl, and MysticDBRose17 for becoming a followers of this story. Thanks also goes to LindaPipeBomb, Leasha Orton, JohnsAngel22, Ortongirl1993, DeeMarie426, THE Kid Hardy for the reviews. I'm glad to see such positive reviews for each and every chapter I post. I also got a lot of 'yes' and 'go aheads' for the intimacy scenes...so in the future there will be one!**

"_**Whatever we deny or embrace**_

_**For worse or for better**_

_**We belong, we belong**_

_**We belong together"**_

_**'We Belong' by: Pat Benatar**_

Chapter 22: Choice

Mia found her naked body tangled in blankets and listening to Dean's soft snoring beside her. She looked over at the clock on her phone. "2:30, really? I thought it would be later than that." She told herself softly so as not to wake her lover. He rolled over onto his side facing away from her; but she felt him move and it brought the memory of the hours prior.

Dean proved to her in more ways than one that he truly did love her and was willing to go any lengths to get her to believe it. Every kiss and touch was filled with all the emotions he felt for her. It sent her heart reeling when she realized that he really was her soul mate. He promised that he would help her get clean from the pills and she couldn't imagine him breaking any promise he made to her or to anyone else.

"I love you..." She whispered as she snuggled her body up against his bare back.

"I love you to, princess." He murmured half asleep.

She smiled upon hearing his reply and kissed his back, twining her fingers with his as they drifted back to sleep. In that moment, only one word came to mind to describe it; and that was perfect. Tomorrow would be a new day and a new challenge awaited her; but she embraced it with full confidence and hope that would defeat the demon known as pill addiction.

**The Date**

After the meal, Rydia started to feel closed off. She thought opening herself up to Roman would be the best thing for them both; but her mind remained uneasy. Thoughts of her father's sudden death invaded her head at every turn. She wanted answers as to why it happened. She wanted to know if Nick really was guilty of causing her father to die unexpectedly.

"Are you okay? You've been awfully quiet since we left the restaurant." Roman asked hoping that he hadn't done anything to upset her.

"I've been thinking about my dad..."

She didn't need to say anymore than that for him to understand. He reached across the center console to place his hand on top of hers. It didn't take her long to accept his comforting gesture. She pulled her right leg up, leaning against it as she stared out the window. The view of the city at night was completely breathtaking. "I should probably tell you this..." Roman started to say as he finally came to the conclusion that Rydia deserved to know that Bray Wyatt approached him with information.

"Tell me what?"

He glanced in her direction to find her looking directly at him with a confused look upon her face. Her ocean blue eyes held so much warmth behind them and it just wasn't warmth, it was hope as well. She had hope that everything would turn out okay in the end. He wanted to see that hope shine forever.

"The night before your father's funeral Bray approached me. He stated that he knew information about what Nick had planned; but he asked for a price."

"I don't care what the price is. I want to know what he has planned." Rydia replied almost shouting.

Roman closed his eyes for a moment. He didn't want to think about Rydia agreeing to Bray terms of payment for the information he supposedly had. He didn't trust the man at all and in his eyes, he had every right not to. "The price was a kiss from you..." Roman replied softly as he made the vehicle come to a complete stop in the hotel parking lot.

"A kiss?"

"Yes..."

Rydia understood what that meant. It also meant that Nick could easily use that to blackmail her in the future. Her heart screamed at her not to; but her mind told her it would benefit them all if she did. She didn't know what to do. Roman opened the door for her. She climbed out and started their short walk towards the lobby. Inside, Skye was just coming out of the elevator with a smile on her face.

"Rydia!" She shouted excitedly.

"Skye?"

"We finally talked. Thank you so much for telling him why I left him."

Skye wrapped her arms around the shorter woman tightly. Rydia knew exactly what she was talking about and deep down she was happy that she finally got her happy ending. Unfortunately, things were still going to be rough. Especially since Nick was still at large and was probably scheming away somewhere close by.

"I'm happy for you." Rydia congratulated.

"Thank you!"

Rydia watched her best friend walk away in a happy stride. Her sister was completely happy with Dean and the ring on her finger proved that their relationship was the real deal. Her heart wavered on whether or not Roman and her would make it to the point of perfect happiness. It would never get there if Nick was still tormenting them. She mentally vowed to stop him herself and there was only one way they could finally be one step ahead of him.

"Seth finally let her in..." Roman stated, interrupting her thoughts.

"Yeah. I'm happy for her. She deserves to have that kind of happiness after everything she's done for me in the past."

Riding in the elevator was quiet and the walk to her room was even quieter. He reached for her arm the second she opened the door. Rydia turned to face him. She could see the confusion and disappointment in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I know I should have been more fun tonight." She apologized.

"There will be other nights..."

"Will there?"

"Of course there will be, why would you even ask that?"

Rydia shrugged her shoulders, not knowing how to answer that. She just said what came to mind at the moment. He leaned in and placed a warm kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight beautiful, I'll see you tomorrow." He whispered and proceeded to walk away.

Her heart and mind were screaming at her to ask him to come back. She hated the thought of leaving the night that way. She didn't want him to feel like he did something wrong; because he was perfect and was there for her at every twist and turn in her life since meeting him. Standing there in the middle of the hallway watching him walk away made her think that it could really be a reality if she didn't start letting him in.

"Roman wait!"

He stopped moving forward and turned his head to see her smile. All he wanted to do was kiss her and run his hands through the silk that was her hair, make her feel safe. He wanted to love every inch of her body and taste her skin. She was beyond ethereal and no matter what she did, he would be there for her. "Come inside." Was all she said and he leapt at the opportunity to be closer to her, even if it meant he had to keep his hands to himself.

**Smackdown Tapping, The Next Day**

Rydia walked into the arena dressed in a pair of skinny jeans, high heeled sandals, and a lime green tank top with a scoop neckline. She had spent the entire night just talking to Roman about everything she could possibly think of to talk about. To her, it seemed to have strengthened their bond as part of a relationship.

"Rydia, could I speak to you a moment?" Stephanie asked approaching her in the quiet hallway.

"Sure, what's up?"

"It's about your role with Seth."

She almost had forgotten about it. Her mind was completely on Roman and ridding herself of Nick. Stephanie lead her to her office at the end of the hallway. On her way, she spotted Bray Wyatt lingering close by. He was watching her. There was no doubt in her mind that he still wanted her for himself; but his relationship with Nick was still up in the air. She didn't know just what their work relationship was now that he wanted to give her information in exchange for a kiss.

Inside the office, Seth was already sitting down on the couch. Their eyes met for a brief moment before their boss started to speak. "As you know, I intended on have the two of you involved in a relationship while Rydia battled for the Diva's Championship; but I find that I'm drawn more towards Roman taking over that role. The two of you have more chemistry I think." Stephanie explained.

"Steph, that is fine with us. In fact, Rydia is actually seeing Roman anyway." Seth stated standing up.

"Is that so...well then I think I've made a good call."

"What made you change your mind?" Rydia asked out of curiosity.

Seth raised an eyebrow, wondering why she would question Stephanie's choices. Watching Rydia's movements, something seemed off with her. Something was bothering her and he could see it in her eyes. He thought that maybe something happened between her and Roman that he didn't know about. "I watched his reactions to your debut last night and he was completely enthralled with you. There is a connection between the two if you and that's what I'm looking for in this angle."

"Thank you. I appreciate your decision to change it."

"You're welcome."

Rydia turned heel and walked out of the office. She had to find Bray before she lost her nerve to confront him about what he knew about Nick. The door closed behind her suddenly and she felt a warm hand touch her bare shoulder. Immediately, she knew that Seth was behind her. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm fine."

"Don't lie to me. I can see it in your eyes. There is something bothering you."

"It's nothing."

Seth reached for her arm, spining her around swiftly to look directly at him. She refused to look him in the eye. He wasn't going to let her just shun him away. "Look at me Rydia, please." He pleaded hoping it would curve her into glancing in his direction.

"What is going on?" He asked as soon as she turned her head.

"I need to confront Bray about some things and I don't need Roman knowing about it."

"Are you out of your mind? There is no way in hell I'm letting you do that."

Rydia jerked her arm free and took several steps back to distance herself from him. She knew that he'd react that way; but it didn't change the fact that she needed to know what Bray knew. She wanted answers about her father's death and nothing would stop her from getting them. "You don't understand anything! I want answers and Bray has them. What choice do I have?"

"Rydia, come on. Think about what your saying. Bray is crazy and wants you for himself. Do you think he would tell you the truth?"

"I need to know what Nick has planned. There is no way in hell I'm just going to let him hurt Roman or any of you just because you guys associate with me."

Seth smiled and pulled her into his arms. She clung onto his shirt letting the tears spill from her already sore eyes. No matter what he said her mind was already made up. Deep down he seemed to already know that. "Thank you for caring; but I have to do this alone or it won't work." She stated her voice muffled by his shirt.

"You don't have to do this. We can find another way to get the answers you want."

"It would take too long. Nick could come after any one of us at any time. I'm doing this for all of you. This isn't just about me anymore."

Rydia placed a hand on his chest gently pushing him away to get around him. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. Their friendship meant the world to her and it was even more motivation to protect the people she cared about. Walking away down the hall in pursuit of Bray Wyatt, all she could think about was how much each person of the group meant to her.

Seth couldn't stand there and let her go through with her decision. He backtracked down the hall in desperation to find Roman. Mia and Dean were walking into the building, hands clamped together and smiles upon their faces. "Have you guys seen Roman?" He asked out slightly out of breath.

"Not yet, why? Something wrong?" Dean asked.

"It's Rydia."

"What about her?" Mia asked her voice cracking with worry.

"She went to find Bray and confront him about information on Nick."

Mia froze completely. There were no words she could form to describe how she felt when Seth related the message. She didn't understand why Rydia would do something so reckless as to confront someone like Bray Wyatt alone. "I'll find her. You two find Roman." Mia demanded.

"Babe, that's not a good idea. Let's find Roman and then we can deal with Bray." Dean countered.

"I'm right here." Roman's voice interrupted the strained conversation.

His arms were crossed over his chest, leaning against the open door to the Shield's locker-room. His expression displayed that he had already heard the entire conversation. Mia hoped that he would do something about it. She feared a great deal for her sister and if no one was going to help her than she would.


	23. Chapter 23

**Author Note: Thank you so much guys for breaking my record of reviews in one story. 90 is awesome, I love you readers so much! Thanks goes to calwitch, LadyNightwing03, TimsGurl34, magan. , and PricelessBAbyGirl for becoming followers to this story. Thanks goes to Leasha Orton, Brittney-xx, Calwitch, THE Kid Hardy, LindaPipeBomb, and DeeMarie426 for the great reviews.**

"_**In this cascade of memories I wonder what**_

_**could have changed, had I changed**_

_**Questioning what and why can't undo the day**_

_**Yes, I realize...**_

_**What's done is done, but the night time raised**_

_**the mist to another day in shame"**_

_**'Epilogue (What's done is done)' by: Autumn**_

Chapter 23: Turmoil

Rydia continued to walk on towards the last place she saw Bray Wyatt; but he was nowhere to be found. She was beginning to think he left the building until she saw a dark corner closed off by a sheet of fabric. The was a small light flickering from the conjunction of the floor and the hem of the fabric.

"Hello?" She asked softly hoping to hear some kind of sound.

There was no answer and it was starting to creep her out. She reached for the fabric and slid it over quickly to see only a lantern hanging on a pole. The breath that she had been holding was finally released in a sigh of relief. That was the last place to search for the man that held answers to her questions and it disappointed her to learn that he was evading her persistent search for him.

Rydia turned around to walk away only to bump into Bray Wyatt himself. His trademark smile was plastered on his mouth. She jumped a little not expecting him to be behind her. Her eyes shifted, looking for Erick and Luke; but he was alone, which surprised her greatly.

"I heard you wanted to speak with me." He stated with a laugh.

"Yeah, I came to see what you knew about my father's death and about what Nick has planned."

He chucked and took a step closer to the already fearful woman in front of him. Her long dark brown hair was straight and curled at the ends it curved perfectly around her face. She was a sight to be seen, angelic. He wanted her to be his angel for all eternity. "I'm sure Roman told you of my price."

"I'm well aware of your price for the information I want."

"Are you prepared to make that kind of act?"

Rydia knew he was stalling, trying to make her think before she acted. She didn't understand his logic at all. It also made her think about whether or not he actually had the information she wanted. "I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to get the answers I want." She whispered.

Bray studied her eyes. They burned with such passion that he fed off the emotion swirling within her depths. His hand lifted from his side and extended out to touch her cheek. She didn't flinch at his touch. The only thing he saw was determination and a desire to protect the people she loved so much. It was something he could admire about her besides the beauty she possessed.

"So what do you know? Tell me now."

"Patience sweet one."

"I have zero patience. Nick saw to that when he took my father away from me and my sister. It was one thing when he was targeting just me; but now he's expanded and he will pay for it."

He chuckled once again, despite actually admiring her determination. Rydia cocked her head to the side, not understanding why he was even laughing in the first place. "I don't have time for games, Bray!" She snapped attempting to walk around him, realizing that it was clearly a mistake to think he'd help her.

"Wait!"

His hand grasped her arm firmly and within seconds she yanked her arm away from him, glaring. He noted that if looks could kill he'd be a dead man; but that was what he liked most about her. The fact that she didn't let anyone push her around and stood tall when the worst was upon her. Even if he told her everything he knew, Nick would change it all around and none of them would be prepared for what was to come.

"It's Skye. She's the target for his upcoming plan."

"I don't suppose you know what that plan is?"

"No, the only thing I know is that it will be happening tonight."

Her radiant blue eyes widened in horror when the words came out of her enemy's mouth. Skye was the one person that had been there for her through every hardship starting out as a singer; but she was more than that now. She was her best friend and just like a sister. Her heart started to race with the urgency to find Skye and attempt to protect her from the past that continued to torment the people she cared about.

"What about my father?"

"Nick was behind that. He wanted to break you down far enough so he could just sweep you up; but as it turned out you are alot stronger than he expected and his plans changed. His feelings changed..."

Rydia turned her head swiftly, her hair flowing around caressing her face. She wondered exactly what he meant by when he said Nick's feelings changed; but the bottom line was that Bray had held up his end and now it was time to pay up for the information. Her hand gently touched his arm all the while cringing on the inside. She leaned in closer towards his bearded face. He sucked in a breath of air anticipating the payment he wanted from her.

She stopped a two inches away from his lips and he was becoming impatient; but he knew if he grabbed her and kissed her things wouldn't go the way he planned. Roman would no doubt hunt him and down and make him pay for it. It had to coming willingly from her. "I'd rather die than kiss the enemy." She whispered against his lips and took several steps backward.

"That was my payment for my information." He replied in a harsh voice.

"How do I know what you told me is the truth?"

Bray finally understood why she didn't go through with the payment. He couldn't really blame her for not trusting him. Rydia took one more look at the defeated man before her and then shifted so she could run down the hall. He watched her, frozen in his spot until he could no longer see her. There was determination to prove to her that he could be trusted.

On the other side of the arena, Mia franticly searched for her sister with Dean trailing behind. She was annoyed that Seth didn't try and stop her more forcefully; but he couldn't blame everything on him. She was well aware of the fact Rydia did things without thinking first. "Slow down, Mia. We will find her." Dean called from further behind her.

"She may have already found Bray. I'm not going to loose her to. I will not survive it."

Dean ran to close the gap between them and spun her around to face him. The desperation in her eyes made him realize that it really was a reality that Rydia could be killed. He understood his girlfriend's concern, because if the roles were reversed he would have felt the same way. His arms wrapped themselves around her trembling body. Her head nuzzled against his chest out of comfort.

"Any luck?" Seth asked coming around the corner from the parking lot area.

"No, where is Roman?" Dean asked.

"Right here."

The three of them watched him come out of the locker-room that had been assigned to The Shield for the show. His expression was hollow and emotionless at best; but the fear in his eyes was the real way he was feeling. Mia pushed herself out of Dean's embrace the second she heard heels clicking against the tiled floor of the arena.

"Rydia!" Mia shouted and flung herself at her sister.

"Mia, what the hell?" Rydia asked surprised to see her sister react that way.

"Don't you scare us like that again!"

Rydia smiled and returned the hug her sister presented. Her eyes connected with Roman's from across the hall. A sense of relief had washed over him to see her completely unharmed; but the panic was on her face behind the smile the was already on her lips. "Where is Skye?" She asked looking directly at Seth.

"She said wanted to finish up the song she was practicing and that she'd be here later."

"We need to find her now!"

The evident panic and fear alarmed the others to the urgency of the matter. Rydia ran through them to get to the parking area only to stop mid-step and scream a blood curtailing scream. Roman heard it from into the arena and instantly followed after her.

Rydia held her hand over her mouth trying not to vomit from the sight of the pool of blood Skye was laying in. Her eyes shifted in every which way trying to find the source of where the blood was coming from; but there were too many to count. She knelt down next to her unconscious friend and pulled out her phone, dialing 911.

"SKYE!" Seth bellowed in horror.

He scrambled to her side. His fingertips searched for a pulse at the top corner of her neck. Her heart was still beating at a slow and steady pace. Rydia hung up after calling for an ambulance. Tears were rolling down her cheeks like a river of sorrow. Roman, Dean and Mia surrounded the scene to make it easier for the paramedics to find them.

It wasn't long before they heard the sirens echoing in the parking garage. "What the hell happened?" Stephanie's voice asked from behind them. The sight before her was full of horror. Rydia's guilt stricken face could only confirm the words she had told Stephanie about her life and now her own family had been drug into the mayhem.

"I'm so sorry, Stephanie..." Rydia apologized.

"What happened?"

"My ex targeted her trying to get to me. This is my fault and I take full responsibility."

Stephanie shook her head and reached out to the grieving woman. Rydia collapsed to her knees in anguish filled sobs. Roman knelt down next to her and wrapped a comforting arm around her. The paramedics lifted Skye onto a stretcher and wheeled her into the back of the ambulance. Seth jumped into the back ready to ride with her to the hospital.

In a quick shut of the doors, the ambulance took off for the nearest hospital leaving the rest of the group alone with their thoughts. "She's strong and will survive this." Stephanie stated hoping that it would encourage Rydia to stand tall and fight back. She didn't want to see her give up now that she had fought back for months.

"I was too late to protect her. What the hell kind of friend does that make me?" Rydia cried getting up from the ground.

"You couldn't have known..." Stephanie tried to explain but was cut off by Rydia's harsh expression.

Without anymore words, she took off towards the arena. She intended on tracking down Bray and make him pay for giving him too late information. Her emotions were cut off and full of anger. She swore that they would pay dearly if Skye didn't make it. It would be a second person Nick had taken away from her and there was no way in hell that there would be a third.

"Rydia, wait!" Roman called.

"Don't try and stop me. He's going to pay dearly for this." She shouted back.

"Tracking down Bray and hurting him isn't going to make this right. We are better people than that. Come on, let's go to the hospital. Steph gave us all the night off to go."

"This is my fault, Roman. How can I live with that on my conscious? I let my best friend get nearly killed by my ex."

Roman closed the gap and traced his fingertip along her cheek. Her blue eyes were red and puffy from crying; but behind all of the that, there was still hope. A hope he intended to keep alive for her. His lips captured hers softly and all the pain she had been feeling was almost instantly washed away. She couldn't understand how he managed to make her feel that way with just a simple kiss upon her lips.

Seth watched as the medics continued to work on Skye. He could see a large cut along stomach and two smaller ones along her wrists. Her eyes twitched from under her closed lids. "Skye..." He whispered. He was silently pleading for her to not to leave him. Despite the year they weren't together, he never lost his love for her. If she died now, he'd never be able to tell her that he still loved her.

"What's her blood type?" One of the medics asked.

"O positive just like me." Seth answered.

"Good, lay down on that bench. She needs blood now."

Seth did as he was told and the others began to transfer blood into Skye. His eyes never left her prone body. He wasn't going to give up on her no matter what. The blood started to flow out his veins into a tube directly linked to Skye. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do to bring her back to him and to Rydia.


	24. Chapter 24

**Author Note: Thanks goes to woohoo292 and IheartRollins for becoming followers of this story. Thanks goes to THE Kid Hardy, DeeMarie426 and Leasha Orton for the reviews. All of your positive words is the greatest motivation to keep writing for you; so thanks again for taking the time express your thoughts and hope you enjoy the next chapter. The lyrics at the end of the chapter are from a section of the song 'Cut' by Plumb.**

"_**I do not want to be afraid**_

_**I do not want to die inside just to breathe in**_

_**I'm tired of feeling so numb**_

_**Relief exists I find when**_

_**I am cut"**_

_**'Cut' by: Plumb**_

Chapter 24: Walking Away

Rydia couldn't form words to speak to Seth as they sat side by side awaiting for the doctor. Syke was taken for emergency surgery the second she arrived at the hospital. The lacerations across several parts of her body caused her to loose a large amount of blood in a short time. They really didn't know the extent of all of her injuries; but the fact was that Nick had tried to kill her. She blamed herself for not realizing it sooner and dragging her into the world she called hell.

Seth felt numb; but knew that Rydia blamed herself for everything. That much was obvious the second he took a look at her face. He wanted to tell her that she wasn't to blame. Unfortunately, the words wouldn't form to speak. They remained silent until the doctor emerged from the surgery section of the hospital.

Both perked and stood up from the uncomfortable chairs they had been sitting in for several hours. Rydia tried to read the man's facial expression to tell if it would be good news or bad news. Nothing screamed at her of either kind of news. "How is she?" Seth asked in a hopeful voice.

"She will live; but she's got extensive injuries that will definitely need proper time to heal."

"What kind of injuries?" Rydia asked wanting to know exactly what Nick did to her.

"Not counting the three major cuts on her body that almost killed her; she's got several broken ribs, a punctured lung and a concussion."

Rydia swallowed the large lump in her throat. She couldn't believe that Nick would go this far to make her life a living hell just to get her back. It was completely absurd in her eyes. She still had hope that something would happen in that the police would finally catch and take him in. "The police will be hear shortly to take statements for the both of you." He continued and then walked away.

"Well it's good news that's she's going to make it." Mia said entering the silent conversation.

"Yeah..." Rydia replied and turned to walk towards the vending machine in the hallway.

"What's with her?" Dean asked.

"What do you think? She's blaming herself." Seth answered looking directly at Roman making it known that something had to be said to her.

The police surrounded the group, taking statements from each and every one of them. They all gave the name of Nick Grayson to the authorities hoping that something would be done about him. Nurses wheeled Skye to a private room for proper treatment of her other injuries. Rydia stood outside the open window watching Seth at her bedside, not moving an inch unless he had to.

Roman approached her and stood firmly next to her, taking her hand into his. "You know this is my fault, don't you?" She asked softly sniffling back a sob. His grip on her hand tightened. He hated hearing those words come off her tongue.

"No it's not. Nick did this to her, not you." He stated.

"I may have not done this to her physically; but I'm the reason it happened in the first place. He wants me to pay for leaving him...and...and now...I am..."

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she cried out in anguish. The inner turmoil within her was almost too much for her to bear. Thoughts of exactly what he did to her came horrifically to mind. She could imagine her cries of pain and calling out for Seth to help her. Roman pulled her into his arms, holding her as she cried.

Seth rubbed the delicate skin of Skye's hand as she slept. He pleaded to whomever would listen to let her recover quickly. He didn't know how long he could stand not being able to talk to her. His eyes wondered to the window to see Rydia crying in Roman's arms outside of the glass. The woman blamed herself for what had happened to the his woman laying in a hospital bed beside him; but the fact was, it really wasn't her fault at all. In his eyes, every person has a will and is responsible for his or her own actions.

Skye groaned as she turned her head in Seth's direction. Her blue eyes fluttered open and caught Seth's chocolate ones. He smiled upon seeing her awake. She blinked her eyes several times, trying to figure out exactly where she was and tried to remember what happened. The second Nick's face came to mind, she cringed at the image.

"How are you feeling?" Seth asked despite knowing it was a stupid question.

"I hurt like hell..." She replied in a raspy voice.

"I guess that really was a dumb question."

She tried to smile at him and turn her fingers to lace them with his. The IV in her hand prevented her from taking a firm hold on his hand that gave her such comfort. Skye didn't want to cut their moment short; but she really wanted to see Rydia and tell her exactly what she remembered of Nick's words before she lost consciousness. "Seth..." She whispered hoarsely.

"Yeah..."

"Can you bring the others in? There is something you all need to know."

Seth didn't say anything; but did as he was asked. Stepping outside the room, Rydia refused to look at him or remove herself from Roman's chest. Mia's hand gently rubbed circles in the middle of her sister's back. "What's up? How is she doing?" Dean asked.

"She's sore; but she wants to see everyone. There is something she wants to say."

"I bet it's about Nick." Mia stated with certainty.

Rydia listened to the small conversation surrounding her; but the only thing she felt was numbness throughout her entire being. There was nothing anyone could say to make her think that what happened to Skye wasn't her fault. She slowly lifted her head from the curve in Roman's chest. Her eyes were swollen and red. It made it hard to see the beauty of her blue eyes.

"I'm sorry, Seth." She apologized and pushed herself away from Roman.

Before anyone could say a word to her, she entered Skye's private room. Blue eyes met blue eyes and the best friends came face to face for the first time since the incident. Rydia was the first to break the eye contact and look away in shame. "Ry, there is no reason to feel guilt." Skye said softly. Despite how her voice sounded, it was full of meaning.

"Look at you. This happened because Nick wants to make me pay. You were caught in the crossfire. Nothing can ever make that okay."

Seth placed a hand on her shoulder hoping that it calm her; but it didn't. There was so much built up frustration and anger towards Nick that she could no longer contain it. She lashed out on the people she cared about most and came to the decision to walk away from everything. "I can't be here anymore. I'm not going to let any more of you get hurt because of me. I'm sorry; but that's the way it has to be." Rydia confessed.

"Rydia, you can't just walk away from everything." Mia pleaded.

"There isn't going to be arguing about this. My mind is made up and in the end you all will be safer because of it."

"Rydia Isabel Chandler!" Skye's voice boomed.

Seth turned to see her hand come to her neck and cringe in pain. Rydia paid no attention to her full name being yelled. She took her walk in cowardice passed everyone person she cared about, including her own family. No one could think of anything to keep her around. No even Skye's plea was enough to make her stay.

"Let her go..." Mia whispered realizing that her sister needed time to think things through better.

"Mia, her life is in danger..." Skye pleaded.

"We've already came to that conclusion months ago. What else to do you know that we don't?" Dean asked.

"Nick is targeting the people close to her to make her weak. That's when he plans to kill her. He doesn't want her back. He wants her dead."

Roman didn't want to hear anymore. The thought of someone trying to kill her was more than enough for him to follow after her whether or not she wanted it or not. There was no way in hell he was going to watch her die. He had seen it enough times in his dreams to watch it in reality. Over the last couple of days, his feelings for her were becoming plain as day and in that moment he realized that really did love her. The problem now, was figuring out how to tell her and convincing her to let him protect her.

Outside the hospital, Rydia walked alone in the downpour of rain that beat down from the angry skies. She was soaked to the bone by the time she got a taxi to take her back to the hotel. The driver was nice enough to hand her a towel to dry her dripping hair. "Thank you..." She whispered.

"So where to?" He asked in a foreign accent she couldn't distinguish.

"The hotel that's beside the huge skylight tower." Rydia replied not remembering the name of the hotel she was staying in.

The driver laughed and nodded his head. The rest of her drive was spent in silence. She had so many things to think about and none of them made her happy. The fact that she had walked away from Roman for the second time left her feeling heartbroken. He had been so patient with her from the very beginning and all she ended up doing was throwing it back into his face. "I don't deserve someone like him." She whispered to herself hoping the driver didn't hear her words.

The car came to a stop in the drop off curve. She paid the driver his fare and exited the vehicle. Her clothes were still soaked and they clung to her skin uncomfortably. Her finger pressed the up button on the elevator and in moments the doors opened. Inside, was Brie and Nikki Bella. They took one look at the heartbroken, fearful woman before them and instantly wanted to know what had happened.

"How is Skye?" Brie asked.

"She's awake and talking."

"You look awful, what happened?" Nikki asked without thinking before speaking and got an elbow in the ribs from her twin sister for the effort.

The second the doors opened, Rydia walked out without saying a word to either sister. The flow of tears continued to roll down her pale skin in a river. The pain of walking away was more than she bargained for. Her hand shook as she tried to unlock the door to her room. It took several tries before she finally got it open. When the heavy door closed behind, she realized that she was alone and that's how she'd be for a very long time.

_I'm not a stranger_

_No I am yours_

_With crippled anger_

_And tears that still drip sore_

_A fragile flames aged_

_With misery_

_And when our eyes meet_

_I know you see_

_I do not want to be afraid_

_I do not want to die inside just to breathe in_

_I'm tired of feeling so numb_

_Relief exists I find it when_

_I am cut_

Roman had followed her back to the hotel and once he got into the lobby the Bella Twins approached him wanting answers to Rydia actions. He frowned upon hearing that she had completely ignored them. She was far worse than he originally thought. This was his only chance to get through to her and he would do everything he could to make her see that she shouldn't loose hope in anything.

"I'll talk to her." He told them and continued on towards the elevator.

"I'm worried about her. She seemed so upset." Brie stated as she took hold of his arm.

"Don't worry I'll see what's going on."

Half of what he told them was a lie; but he didn't need to drag more people into the danger that surrounded Rydia. The ride up to her floor seemed endless and he honestly didn't know exactly what he would say to her. Roman knew he needed to say something to her; otherwise; she'd be gone forever. The ding of the elevator bell snapped him out of his thoughts and he exited the small chamber. His feet stopped moving when he came to her door.

"Rydia..." He whispered.

He placed his hand upon the cold metal of the door. His inner battle of thoughts began to wage war against each other. He just didn't know what to say to her. This was the first time he ever had to deal with an ex-boyfriend that wanted to kill his ex-girlfriend instead of just moving on. His fingers curled into a fist and knocked before he knew what he was doing.

As he expected, there was no answer from her. That's why he came prepared and had asked to receptionist for a key to her room. He had to bribe the woman with money to get what he wanted; but there wasn't anything he wouldn't do to save her life. Roman slipped his hand into his back pocket and pulled out the key to her room and slid it into the lock, turning it until it clicked.

**End Note: What do you want to see happen between Rydia and Roman in his attempts to talk sense into her.? **


	25. Chapter 25

**Author Note: Thanks goes to damonadark-hunterfan69, and Slytherin Studios for becoming followers of the story. Thanks also goes to Leasha Orton, JohnsAngel22, DeeMarie426, LindaPipeBomb, ctina (guest), Slytherin Studios, and THE Kid Hardy. Thank you for letting me reach the 100****th**** review mark. It's amazing to see the number continue to grow with such positive words. I'm continuing the lyrics from the song 'Cut' by Plumb for the parts with Rydia and Roman. I've also increased the rating to M specifically for this chapter. I don't want to give anything away; but know there is a reason for the change in rating. I hope everyone likes the new chapter.**

"_**You're beautiful, so beautiful**_

_**Oh and you hold me tight**_

_**You're beautiful, so beautiful**_

_**And I can't speak, or I'll cry**_

_**Oh I don't deserve you**_

_**Cause I always hurt you**_

_**Then you'll say the perfect thing**_

_**You're beautiful, so beautiful to me"**_

_**'Beautiful' by: Plumb**_

Chapter 25: Brought to Life

Skye could see the concerned expressions upon the remaining part of the group. There was no way of knowing exactly what was going through their minds. The knowledge that Nick didn't want Rydia at all; but wanted her dead was a shock to all of them. It broke her heart to see the utter despair on her best friend's face. She realized that there was nothing she could say to change her way of thinking. Roman was the last hope to bring her back from the void of emotional torment Rydia was swirled in.

"What do we do now?" Mia asked softly her voice breaking with the sobs she was desperately trying to hold back.

"I honestly don't know what we can do if Rydia doesn't want our help or protection anymore." Seth answered taking hold of Skye's hand once more.

"This is my sister we are talking about, damnit!" She screamed back.

"I know, Mia. I'm not saying we should give up on her. I'm just wondering what more we can do in her current state of mind. Roman might be our last ditch effort in bringing her back to herself."

Dean wrapped a comforting arm around Mia. He ran his free hand through his hair trying to figure out something helpful to say. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind. He was just as lost about the situation as the rest of them. His attention was caught by the sound of heeling clicking on the tiled floors.

"Skye! How are you?" Stephanie asked stepping into the room.

"I'm fine for the most part. Don't worry, this won't keep me down long." Skye replied with a slight smile on her lips.

"That's so good to hear."

Stephanie looked around the room to see only Seth, Mia and Dean present in the room. She noted that Rydia and Roman were missing. It disappointed her, because she wanted to ask Rydia about the text message she had sent her. "Where is Rydia?" She asked out of curiosity.

"She's...she's having a hard time dealing with all of this. She left for the night." Dean answered when no one else spoke up.

"I just wanted to ask her about the message she sent me a little bit ago."

"What message?" Mia asked pulled away from Dean's comforting hold.

Stephanie saw the curious heartbroken look in Mia's eyes. The water of her tears made her eyes look glassy. Everything in her mind screamed that there was something more to what was around her than she originally thought. "She said that she needed some time to herself to deal with some personal things. She also apologized for wasting our time with someone like her. I don't understand what she was trying to say."

"Jesus..." Mia whispered.

"What?" Dean asked.

"I can't believe she's bringing that up again. I thought she had gotten over that years ago. Someone like her, please...I'm going slap some sense into her right now."

Mia turned to walk out of the room with her fists clenched. Dean reached out and held her arm firmly, preventing her from doing what she set out to do. Her harsh stare eyed his grip on her arm before he let go. "I don't think that's going to solve anything. Why don't you tell us what you mean? Do you something about her that we don't?"

**The Hotel**

Rydia stood in the bathroom staring at the mirror and at the reflection of herself. She hated what stared back at her. Everything she had worked for was gone and the one person that actually treated her like a human being was dead. Bitter tears rolled down her cheeks as she remembered who she really was and exactly who she kept hidden beneath the dyed brown hair.

"I'm sorry, Roman..." She whispered before screaming out in frustration.

Her fist connected with the mirror, shattering to pieces. The shards of glass cut and slashed her skin on her hand. The blood rolled into the white porcelain sink, staining it crimson. She fell to her knees in painful sobs as the main door clicked open.

_I may seem crazy_

_Or painfully shy_

_And these scars wouldn't be so hidden_

_If you would just look me in the eye_

_I feel alone here and cold here_

_Though I don't want to die_

_But the only anesthetic that makes me feel anything kills inside_

Roman pushed the door open just in time to hear the scream and the sound of shattered glass. He immediately ran towards the sound only to find Rydia on the floor, blood flowing from the several open cuts on and around her hand. He reached for the hand towel beside the sink and wrapped it around her hand, applying pressure to the wounds.

"Rydia...this is not your fault." He whispered.

"You know nothing about me and you still say that." She replied standing up from the cold floor.

Roman was taken aback by her words. He's been around her for three months and thought he knew a lot about her. Her eyes held no warmth to them. The only thing he saw in them was despair and anger. "What are you talking about? I know a lot about you..."

"No! You really don't..."

"Tell tell me what you're so afraid of me knowing; because it's obvious that's where this is going."

The memories of the things she was told when she got older came flooding into her mind. It was something that she had hoped that her mother would have kept from her forever; but it didn't happen that way. The anger she felt towards Nick when she found out about his infidelity boiled to the surface and it mixed with her already bitter sorrow.

_I do not want to be afraid_

_I do not want to die inside just to breathe in_

_I'm tired of feeling so numb_

_Relief exists I find it when _

_I am cut_

_Pain_

_I am not alone_

_I am not alone_

Tears rolled down her sore cheeks and the pain in her hand was beginning to burn as the wounds were clotting. Roman let go of the towel and saw that there was no more blood flowing out of the cuts; but what hurt more was her pulling away from him. "Why do you still chase me after all I've done to you?" She asked softly.

"Because I care about you. I have since the day I met you. There was something about you even when you bumped into me on that plane three months ago. It's just been all about you." He replied.

"You need to let me go. I don't deserve someone like you. Someone like me doesn't deserve to be treated the way you treat me."

Rydia tried to walk passed him. In a second he took hold of her arm and turned her around to face him. He couldn't understand why she talking that way. He knew that she was trying to push him away for the same reasons as before; but he wasn't about to let her do that this time. There were things she needed to accept and one of them was the fact that he was in love with her.

"Roman, I'm a rape child. My mom was raped when she was first married and because Paul loved her so much, he adopted me as his own. He isn't really my dad; but he cared for me my whole life. He never once looked at me differently than Mia and now that he's gone I fear the bond is shattered."

Roman reached out and cupped her face into his hands, his fingers flowing through her hand in attempts to calm her sobs down. "It doesn't matter to me. Your past means nothing. You are your own person and that's the woman I fell in love with." He said softly and kissed her forehead.

The words made her freeze. The one words no man has ever said to her made her legs turn to jelly and her heart race. She didn't want to believe that someone could love her. It just seemed ridicules to her. Roman felt her stiffen in his arms. Now was his chance to prove to her that she meant everything to him. She was caught off guard by his words and now he had to let his actions prove it completely.

His fingertip lifted her head up to meet his gaze. Her lips were moist and were begging to be kissed. He leaned in closer until there was just a small gap between their lips. Rydia's heart was racing a million miles a minute, anticipating what he was about to do. "I love you, Rydia. I need you to believe me when I say that, because I do."

"I believe you; but I don't want you to get hurt for me."

"It's my choice to protect you. I'll die protecting you, and understand that I'm going to make love you right now to prove just how much I love you."

His lust coated voice of whispers sent her body into tingle mode. Roman captured her lips with his and gently pulled her body closer. He wanted to feel her as close as he could get her. Rydia responded to his every kiss and dance of his tongue until she felt his lips pull away and reposition in the shallow of her neck, trailing his tongue up the base to the lobe of her ear. The action sent a shiver up spine and sparks down to her very core.

Rydia's hands lingered on his chest for a moment before moving them down his chest, outlining every muscle she could find. A soft groan escaped his lips. His arms lifted her up, her legs wrapping around his waist. Roman walked with her in his arms until he sat her down on the edge of the bed. Leaning down to kiss her lips once more, he gently pushed her down so her back was flat against the mattress.

His t-shirt was discarded within seconds and he was right back to her welcoming lips. His hair drapped off his shoulder and tickled her nose. Her hand went up to move it away from her face; but he pinned her arms over her head. She felt the zipper that held her shirt on her body slowly start to open. His warm lips gave soft kisses to the tops of her breasts from their confining black and green lace bra. Rydia arched her back into his caresses, trying to free a hand from his hold over her head.

Roman's arousal was pinned up against her still covered core. The feeling of it sent even more sparks throughout her entire body. His rough hands slid down her bare sides and tugged at the waistband of her leggins. Pulling them down, he tossed them to the floor. She lay before him in just her bra and panties. His eyes lingers on her exposed body. She was breathtaking. "So beautiful..." He whispered and cupped her center with his hand.

"Roman...I..." Rydia tried to speak; but was cut off by his lips covering hers.

Her tongue danced with his. Roman's grip on her hands loosened and she slipped free. Her newly freed hands roamed down his chest and began to fumble with his belt buckle. It didn't take her long to release it and unbutton his jeans. His smile was shown through every kiss and every touch he placed on her body. Rydia slid up further on the bed and he slid between her legs, caressing her still confined breasts. Allowing his hand to slid up her back, he unclasped the bra and pulled it away from her body. A small birthmark was just above her left breast. He found it to be a perfect fit for her attributes and kissed the mark tenderly.

Roman slid down the panties that were one of the last barriers that kept them from being joined together. Her naked body was completely at his mercy. His touch sent her body on fire and there was nothing she wanted more than for him to fulfill her aching body's desire. A touch of blush covered her cheeks and he smiled upon seeing it. "Why are you blushing?" He asked out of curiosity.

"You're staring at me..."

"I'm admiring what's before me. You are perfect."

Rydia looked away from him. In her mind, she was anything but perfect. Her life was anything but normal. She had an ex-boyfriend out to ruin her life and would do anything to make sure she didn't see any happiness at all. Her father was ripped away from her far too early and her best friend came close to bleeding out in the parking garage floor. Roman was the only thing that remained the same.

She watched him removed the last articles of clothing he had left. His body left her speechless. She questioned his sanity in wanting to be with her; but the second his lips connected with hers and his fingers rubbing circles around her clit made her stop thinking about all the negative and think about only to good that has come from being with him.

Roman could hear her soft moans from her throat and loved the sound of them, especially when they were right at his ear. The moment he entered her, a different world exploded within both of them. The sensations they felt were so very different. His name rolled off her tongue and her nails dug into the skin on his back. He knew that she was close to a release; but he wanted to make it last.

Slowing down, he kissed her lips and touched her face. Her heart swelled when she saw the look in his eyes. His love for her was genuine and she finally let down her barrier. Tears of happiness rolled down from the corners of her eyes. "I love you to." She whispered.

He was surprised to hear her respond to his declaration; but smiled nonetheless. Her release crashed down around her and she moaned his name slightly louder than before. It triggered his own and without warning he spilled himself into her. They remained unmoving, staring into each others eyes and breathing heavily to regulate their heart rates. "Roman..." She whispered.

"Yeah..."

"Thank you."

"There is no need to thank me. You needed to know how I feel about you."

He rolled off her and pulled her into his warm embrace. His lips pressed against her forehead as he covered them with the comforter. She stared up at him, trying to think of a way to tell him that she feared for him. She was afraid that Nick would target him next. No words would come to mind and she hoped that sleep would help with the blockage. "Sleep well, my goddess..." He purred in her ear.

"Goodnight, Roman." She replied just as the slumber took over.

**End Note: I hope it wasn't too graphic for you. I tried to keep it to a tasteful level.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Author Note: Thanks to calwitch, Slytherin Studios, THE Kid Hardy, Leasha Orton and LindaPipeBomb for the awesome reviews. I wasn't sure about upping the rating; but since it got some positive remarks, I'd say I did okay. Hope this chapter will be just as positive.**

"_**No, I'll never let you go**_

_**No, I'll never let you fall**_

_**No, I'll never give up on you**_

_**I'll never give up on you**_

_**I'll never let you go**_

_**No, I'll never let you fall**_

_**No, I'll never give up on you."**_

"_**Never Give Up" by: Stealing Eden**_

Chapter 26: The Fallout

Nick stood overlooking the throb of people below the upper level in the nightclub. He watched intently at the all the scantly clothed women grinding up against their partners. The thought of what he had done to Skye passed by his mind. A wicked smile started to tug at his lips. There was nothing he liked more than to watch the woman crawl on her knees begging for him to stop. Unfortunately, she didn't give him any useful information and he had to meet with Bray Wyatt to get that.

His knuckles were broke open and swollen with the aftermath of his fists connecting with Skye's ribs. The white tape he had wrapped around them was started to become stained with his own blood. "By the way you're standing, I'd say you are pretty happy with your actions." Bray's voice sounded.

"And you would be right." Nick replied turning around for face the man that given him so much information.

"So what did you need to see me about?"

Nick's smile widened when thinking about Rydia's reaction to seeing the well-being of Skye Atherton. Bray never thought in a million years that Nick would go as far as he did just to make one woman's life a living hell. He had been a part of most of it and already regretted helping him get close to Rydia. The woman was an angel and didn't deserve the kind of pain this man was putting her through.

"What is Rydia's state of mind?" Nick asked simply.

"The last I saw...she was a complete mess and walked away from everything; but that could have changed."

"Does Skye still live?"

"Yes."

"Damn...I went too easy on her."

Bray's stomach contorted in disgust with every word he spoke. He had had enough of all of the madness. Rydia didn't deserve anymore torment and no one she associated with deserved to be harmed in any way. It was okay to play mind games but physical abuse and even murder was beyond his logic. "Why don't you just let it go and move on..." Bray suggested.

"What's the matter? Don't have the stomach for torment and revenge?"

"Mind games is one thing; but you actually killed someone and damn near killed another. What are you really after here; because Rydia will never come back to you after what you've done to her."

Nick laughed and took several steps closer to his colleague. His dark eyes were almost black with hatred. Bray couldn't understand why he hated Rydia so much to cause that much pain to someone. Sure, she broke up with him; but it wasn't without reason. "I don't want her back. I've had that and its old history now. I'm on to bigger and better things."

"And what's that exactly?"

"Getting with that little woman she's working with at Wrestlemania, AJ Lee and eventually Rydia's own death."

The wheels were turning inside the psychotic mind of Nick Grayson. If he managed to get with the woman, he could have access to so many things behind the scenes and wouldn't need Bray's help. He could just do it himself.

**Hotel, Next Morning**

Rydia's eyes opened slowly and met the sunlight. She squinted and snuggled her head back into her pillow; but found that it was slightly occupied by Roman's head. Her lips curved into a smile upon seeing him sleeping soundly next to her. Memories of the night they shared replayed inside her head and it made her body tingle with desire all over again.

His body turned over and she got a look at his backside. A blush tinted her cheeks and she slowly got out of the bed. He was beyond perfect in every way possible and that 's what made it hard to just walk away from him. He was everything she wanted in a man and more. Grabbing her iPod and a towel, she made her escape into the bathroom for a shower. She hoped the water would cool down her desire for him to make a repeat of night.

Her hands turned the handles to make the perfect temperature of water. Once it was to her liking, she found the perfect song that would occupy her thoughts. Her choice for the day was 'And We Run' by Within Temptation and featured rapper Xzibit. She stepped under the spray and let its wash away her sweat coated body.

Roman rolled back over and awoke to an empty bed. He called out her name; but realized that she was in the shower. Her voice was echoing the walls. It was a voice he loved a great deal. The thought of her in the shower awakened desire within him. His mind gave him ideas that made him smile as he got up from the bed.

His hand turned the handle of the bathroom, hoping it wasn't locked. Much to his happiness, it opened for him. She was oblivious to him and he wanted it to stay that way. He could see her outline from the curtain and waited for her to turned her back to him so he could step in from behind.

Rydia moved her fingers through her freshly cleaned hair. Her voice was warmed up and at the perfect pitch she wanted. At that point, she felt hands wrap around her and lips kiss her neck. She froze instantly, fearing the worst and Nick was behind her; but when she saw the long black hair move across her bare shoulder a sense of relief washed over her.

"Good morning, baby." He greeted in a warm voice that was coated in a little but of lust.

She turned around and leaned up to kiss him. His arms wrapped around her and began to caress her wet skin, causing them both to burn with desire. Her tongue tangled with his as she ran her hands up his chest. "We have a flight to catch, you know." She whispered between kisses.

"I know; but I wanted to make sure you were alright before I left to get my stuff." He replied giving her nipple a gentle pinch.

"I'm fine. I regret nothing, if that's what you were getting at."

He kissed her lips once again, and lifted her up. Her back was up against the wall of the shower and in one soft moan, his lips left her and were secures around her right nipple. All the feelings she felt the night before exploded inside again. She didn't want him to stop; but she didn't want to miss her flight either. "Roman...please..." She pleaded in whispers.

Ignoring her pleas, he switched to the left breast. Her hands tugged at his hair and she could feel his arousal up against her core, just waiting to be inserted. She knew that he was purposely teasing her. He wanted her to beg for him. Holding her with one arm, he slid his free hand down to her moist lips. She could feel him penetrate her with a single finger; but even that single digit felt heavenly. Sucking in a breath, it came out as a hiss of pleasure.

"Rydia! Come on, we are going to be late!" Mia's voice yelled.

"Jesus, what the hell is she doing here?" Rydia groaned.

Roman chuckled softly and let her down to stand on her own feet. She got out of the shower, wrapping the towel around her before walking out of the bathroom. "Mia, don't you ever knock before you barge in someone's room?" Rydia asked obviously annoyed by her sister's actions.

"I did knock...twice. Come on, hurry up."

"I'm going."

Mia noticed that the water was still running in the bathroom. Her eyes shifted to the floor around the bed and saw clothing that didn't belong to Rydia. A smile appeared on her lips at the thought of Roman finally getting through to her sister. "So...uh...Ry? Did something happen last night, because there are clothes scattered everywhere and the water is still running in the bathroom?" Mia asked not bothering to hide the teasing tone in her voice.

"Actually...yeah...and not just the obvious."

"What do you mean?"

"Rydia, can I please have my clothes?" Roman asked from the doorway with a towel wrapped around his waist.

Rydia quickly gathered up all of his clothes that were scattered across the floor. He kissed her as she handed them to him. Mia felt overjoyed witnessing the affection. Once Rydia was dressed, Roman walked out of the bathroom completely dressed. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off her. She was just everything he wanted and more. "Can we go now? Dean is waiting in the lobby." Mia asked.

"Lead the way, sis."

"Is Seth coming?" Roman asked.

"I doubt it. He never moved from Skye's side all night."

The thought of Seth not getting any rest or even eating, because of Skye made Rydia feel the guilt for causing that pain. She didn't want to feel that way because all it did was bring everything around her crashing down. Nick wasn't going to stop until he had broken her down and she knew that she needed to stay strong for everyone.

Rydia smiled when she felt Roman's fingers twine with hers. She knew now that he wasn't going to leave her and his declaration of love proved that in more ways than one. The elevator doors opened into the lobby and Dean's turned his head in their direction. He immediately saw the joined hands of Roman and Rydia along with her loving smile.

"What happened to change your mind?" Dean asked.

"Someone talked some sense into me. I'm sorry for trying to push all of you away. I shouldn't have said what I did." Rydia apologized.

"Nah, don't worry about it. Everything's cool, just know that we all have your back no matter what."

That's what she's liked the most about Dean. He always had her back no matter what happened around them. He was a perfect match for Mia in so many way and it made her thrilled to know that they were happy together. He smiled at her with a sibling loyalty and it only made her wish that Seth was there to.

"Let's go or we are going to be late." Mia urged.

With those words being the last, they walked out of the lobby and got into their separate rental cars. Mia stared out the window. Her stomach had been upset from the start of the day to the point of almost vomiting the second she rolled out of bed. Dean told her that she probably caught some stomach flu bug and for her to rest as much as she could.

"So what happened with Rydia? What changed?" Dean asked out of curiosity.

"Roman happened. I didn't get a chance to ask for details; but he definitely stayed the night with her."

"How are you feeling?"

"A little better; but I think I'm going to sleep once we get on the plane."

He reached over and rested his hand on her upper thigh. The comforting gesture warmed her heart. She loved everything about him and the fact he was concerned about her heath was a step up from her previous relationship with Randy Orton.

Mia's eyes slowly closed, falling asleep before arriving at the airport. Dean took the time to text Seth, Roman, Skye, and Rydia. He was completely worried about Mia's strange behavior over the last twenty-four hours. She's become excessively tired and sick to her stomach. He was convinced that it was just a bug; but now he wasn't so sure.

"_**Mia's been acting weird over the last day. She always tired and today she's been sick to her stomach, without vomiting. So try to be quite on the plan."**_ He typed and hit the send button.

"_**I'm not going to be on the plan; but tell her to get better soon. I'll be there later. I have to take the late plan."**_ Seth replied.

Rydia heard her phone chime within the pocket of her jean jacket. She dug for the device and swiped her finger over the screen to read the message Dean had sent her. Her eyes widened a little upon reading the whole thing. "What's wrong?" Roman asked noticing the difference in expression on his girlfriend's face.

"Dean texted me about Mia. She's sick or something; but it don't add up. She was fine yesterday."

"Sometime you just get sick overnight."

Roman was right; but she had a feeling it was something more than that and she didn't dare say what she really thought might be going on. Instead, she lied and said it was probably a bug. Mia never got sick. She couldn't remember her ever having a cold let alone a stomach flu. Something was going on and she intended to find out before Nick decided to show up again.


	27. Chapter 27

**Author Note: I have no words to describe how pleased I am to see how much you readers like this story. Thanks goes to tatyasdias for becoming a follower to this story. Thanks also goes to Slytherin Studios, Leasha Orton, THE Kid Hardy, DeeMarie426, LindaPipeBomb, and tatyasdias for the awesome reviews. I appreciate the warm encouraging words and your thoughts about what you think will happen next. Hope you enjoy the new chapter.**

"_**The dust is clearing, the desert is calm.**_

_**The skies are all quiet and I can't make a sound.**_

_**An I just wait for you.**_

_**I'm calling for a savior to show me where to start.**_

_**And all who still remain are whispering in the dark.**_

_**And we just wait for a sign.**_

_**So this is my once upon a time.**_

_**So this is my star-crossed wasteland."**_

_**'A Star-Crossed Wasteland' by: In This Moment**_

Chapter 27: Outsmarted

Over the next two weeks, Rydia attempted several times to figure out why Mia seemed to be sick without having a cold or the flu. Every time she thought about it she came up with nothing at all to show for it. She also noted that it was far to quiet and there was no sign of Nick's interference at all since Skye's attack. It was just days away from Wrestlemania and her Diva's Championship match against AJ Lee and the nervous butterflies were starting to get to her mentally.

There were just so many things that were coursing through her brain and many of those things had no answers. Her legs carried her into the elevator only to be greeted by Brie and Nikki Bella. Rydia remembered how ignorant she had been to them a couple weeks ago when all they were trying to do was cheer her up.

"Brie...Nikki...I'm sorry for how I acted towards you guys. I didn't mean anything by it." Rydia apologized.

"No worries, Ry. Roman told us what happened. It was completely understandable." Brie replied.

A smile tugged at her lips and she reached out to hug them tightly. She valued their friendship just as much as she valued her friendship with Skye. Nikki felt a twinge of jealousy rise within her. Her relationship with John Cena had been tested on more than one occasion and now that he had been speaking highly of Rydia's talent inside and outside the ring she began to feel the envy towards the woman more dominantly.

"Nikki, are you okay?" Brie asked giving her twin sister a gentle jab with her elbow.

"Yeah...fine...we will see you later, Rydia." Nikki replied walking away the second the elevator doors opened.

Rydia was oblivious to Nikki's feelings and continued on towards the parking garage to wait for Roman. Her phone vibrated and sounded with a sparkle-like chime to indicate a text message. Her fingers worked quickly to get into where she could view the message. _**"Morning, baby girl! I'll be down in a few minutes."**_ He stated.

"_**I'm by your car. Take your time there is no rush today."**_

"_**LOL! Okay."**_

She leaned against the black SUV and watched all the people come and go from the garage. The minutes continued to pass by and it was beginning to concern her. He never once ever lied to her about time and meeting her when he was able to. A sense of dread washed over her and without thinking about it another second, she left her belongings and ran back inside the hotel.

**The Arena in Greenbay**

Mia stood in the bathroom of the woman's locker-room, staring into the large mirror. It had become hard for her to avoid her sister's questions about being sick the way she was. She knew that as kids she never got sick, not even a cold. The nauseousness returned and felt that finally that time she really would vomit; but it never came out.

She cupped her hands under the running water and splashed the cool liquid onto her face several times, hoping that was settle her stomach. Dean wasn't there and would be for another few days. He was overseas on a tour with other members of the Shield and Rydia. It made her feel even more alone, because in her hands lay an unused pregnancy test. She silently prayed that the test would return negative. It's not that having a baby was a bad thing, it just was a bad time and a dangerous one at that.

"Ok...let's get this over with..." Mia whispered and heading into the stall.

Doing everything the instructions told her to do, she waited patiently for the results. The two minutes felt like an eternity and in those moments, her mind raced with the what if's. What if she was really was pregnant? What if she wasn't and if she wasn't, then what was wrong with her?

Mia wandered back into the stall and picked up the small stick that held her life in it's hands. Her eyes stared at the pink plus sign and felt her hands begin to tremble in fear. Her worst fear had come true. She was pregnant and had no one to go to. The feeling of being alone was overwhelming and tears trickled down her cheeks.

She tossed the used test into the trash and walked out of the bathroom. Her heart hurt with the many emotions she was feeling all at once. Above all other emotions, fear was the one she felt the most. Mia was afraid of what would happen if Nick found out about it. Would he target her and baby or would he target Dean?

Outside the locker-room, she found a large equipment case and sat down upon it. Her sobs turned into harsh cries of agony. She pulled her legs up against her chest and rested her head in between them. After what felt like an hour that way, she heard wheels of a luggage bag rolling across the floor and suddenly stop right in front of her. She hoped that whoever it was would just continue on and leave her to her pain.

"Mia..." A warm male voice called.

She knew that voice all too well. Randy stood before her wondering what have her in such a state. He watched as her head lifted up to face him. Her beautiful blue eyes were red and puffy from her obvious sadness. His concern was written all over his face and it warmed her. It had been a long time since they actually spoke to each other without hostility.

"What's wrong?" Randy asked softly and sat down next to her.

"Randy, did you ever envision us having kids when were together?" She asked.

He turned his head to the side, confused about her sudden question about something so personal. As much as he didn't want to remember his feelings for her, he didn't want to upset her further by not answering it at all. "I did, yes." He replied closing his eyes hating feeling jealous towards Dean for having her.

"Do you think I'd make a good mother?"

"Of course, where is all of this coming from?"

Mia's words refused to come out. Her fear of the reality was preventing her from admitting what needed to be said. Tears continued to roll down her sore cheeks. "I'm...I'm so scared, Randy. I don't know what to do. I don't want it to be in danger..." She cried and in context telling him what he needed to know.

"Mia, are you... pregnant?"

She nodded her head and pulled her legs tighter up against her chest. Randy wrapped a comforting arm around her. He could feel her trembling against chest. The confirmation that she was indeed pregnant was all he needed to make sure that she was protected and taken care while Dean was overseas.

"Why don't you stay with me until Dean comes back? I'll make sure that no harm comes to you from Nick and his crazy loons." Randy asked.

"Why would you want to help me? I haven't exactly been the nicest person to you over the last few months."

"True; but I'm not one to hold a grudge. We fell apart and we are both stronger because of it. Mia, I still care about you and I'm not about to let something happen to you or the baby you are carrying. I'd never forgive myself if I just walked away."

Mia tried to smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She was thanking him for everything without actually saying it with words. He helped her down from the case and escorted her to his locker-room. The walk gave her time to calm down about the shock of finding out that she was now pregnant. It also gave her time to figure out how to tell Dean about it.

**Overseas**

Rydia got back inside the hotel and scanned the large crowds of people checking in and out of the place. Panic was on overdrive; but when she spotted him in the long line at the front desk, relief was the best feeling in the world. She snuck passed all the people behind her and twined her fingers with his. His body jumped at little. "Hey, I thought you were at the car?" He asked.

"I was starting to worry when it took you so long."

Her answer was completely understandable considering the life they lived under constant caution. He couldn't help but smile at her and lean down to kiss her luscious lips. Once they got to the desk to check out the clerk closed his name from the room. "Oh we have a letter for you and a refund of the money you paid."

"What do you mean, refund?" He asked curiously.

"Someone picked up your bill, sir."

The clerk handed him the letter and an envelope of money. Rydia pulled him away from the desk to give the next person in line a turn. Roman opened the letter and his confused expression instantly turned to one of pure rage. "What's wrong?" She asked turning in to see the letter herself.

"That son-of-a-bitch is going to pay big time when I get my hands on him." Roman threatened.

Rydia could see photos of the night they had sex for the first time and below each image Nick had handwritten his thoughts on the scenes. His words were disgusting and it made her sick to stomach looking at them. She folded up the paper with the pictures inside and stuck them directly into her handbag for safe keeping. Roman escorted her back out into the parking garage to see Nick standing directly against the black SUV holding Rydia's belongings.

"You really are the dirtiest of lowlifes aren't you?" Roman asked trying to keep his composure.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I did warn you if you got close with her what would happen." Nick replied with a pleasurable smile upon his lips.

Rydia could see the person that has plagued her life for months right in front of her and wished that she could do something that would end this torment once and for all. Taking a step closer, the adrenaline was coursing through her veins. Intoxicating her with power to the point that she felt invincible.

Her fist connected the side of Nick's jaw. The impact jerked his head to the side, bouncing off the window of the vehicle. Nick swung with the back of his hand and missed her face by mere centimeters. Roman rushed in with his shoulder buried deep within Nick's abdomen. Rydia screamed in horror as three other men that once were called friends joined in the mauling.

"Roman!" She screamed hoping that it would give him strength.

Aaron turned to look directly at her. He began to stalk her, leaving the others to beat down on the love of her life. Rydia backed up several steps until her back was literately against a wall. "Stop this madness, Aaron. Please, I beg you." She pleaded.

"I wish I could. He holds a lot over my head."

"Aaron..."

She could see the silver sparkle against the lights from the knife held firmly in his hand. The realization of the fact that Nick did not want her back; but wanted her dead was a hard one to swallow. He hated her that much to take her father's life and now he wanted to take hers. The fear of death made her completely freeze in place.

"Hey douche bag, get the hell away from her!" A familiar voice shouted and before she knew it Aaron was grounded and the knife skidded across the concrete floor.


	28. Chapter 28

**Author Note: I'm speechless, 7 reveiws for the last chapter. Thanks goes to Leasha Orton, tatyasdias, Slytherin Studios, DeeMarie426, THE Kid Hardy, LindaPipeBomb, and calwitch for the amazing reviews. I'm sorry that I left it with such a cliff hanger; but I felt it was necessary to build up suspense. I'm glad it made such a positive mark and I hope this chapter receives the same response. I'm sorry this has taken so long to come out; but my son fractured his elbow and I've been busy handling that.**

"_**I think back how you overcame**_

_**All the times you could have slipped**_

_**The way you fought the winds of change**_

_**All the times your wings were clipped**_

_**You taught me how to reach the stars**_

_**You taught me how to heal my scars**_

_**And you were my**_

_**My hero through it all"**_

_**'You Always Believed' by: In This Moment**_

Chapter 28: Broken Mirrors of the Mind

Rydia's hair blew around her as she whipped her head in the direction of the grounded Aaron. She wanted to know who would have the courage to step into something they weren't a part of. John Cena stood up from Aaron's body and lifted him up by his shirt collar. Her eyes scanned the concrete ground for the discarded knife. Frustration was beginning to set in when she couldn't locate the dangerous item.

"Rydia! Get out of here now!" John yelled.

"No! I can't leave you guys alone." She replied on the verge of tears.

"Ry, please do as he says." Roman pleaded as he shoved Gage and Nick away for a brief moment.

The helplessness was overwhelming and the reality that they were doing all of this to protect her was just too much for her to accept. Her mind went completely blank and her heart took control of her actions. She ran towards the other member of Nick's group that had his back towards her. Her arm dove between his legs and jerked up to give a harsh low blow to his genitals.

The man stumbled back and came face to face with her. "You bitch!" He barked as he reached out to grab a handful of her hair. Her clenched fist struck his jaw and he immediately let go of the fistful of hair. Roman rolled onto his stomach and got to his feet. They exchanged a slight glance before turning their attention to Nick.

John shoved Aaron to the ground once again. The strength difference was extreme and Aaron began to back away from the stronger man. Nick took the distraction as the opportunity to strike Rydia down. She fell to her knees holding the side of her face. John and Roman instantly came to her side ready to defend her; but Nick snapped his fingers ending the confrontation without another strike or another word.

"You're a coward." Roman taunted hoping that he'd come back to end the fight once and for all.

"Trust me, this is far from over. I have plenty of plans for your precious girlfriend." Nick replied with a sly grin on his bloodied lips.

"Just leave her alone. She doesn't deserve this kind of treatment." John stated.

Nick only laughed at the comment. The foursome backed away and began to retreat in silence. Rydia didn't understand why everything around her was still exploding from within when all she did was work hard to keep it from falling apart. "Thank you for your help, John." Roman thanked.

"No problem. I'm just glad I got here when I did. Where is Seth and Dean?" John replied with his own question.

"Good question..." Rydia whispered.

Once the words were out of her mouth, Seth and Dean walked into the parking garage pulling their bags behind them. Rydia still hadn't pulled herself up to a standing position and Seth caught sight of the ugly red mark on her flawless features. "What the hell happened?" He asked increasing his pace.

"The nut job happened?" John answered.

"Where the hell were you guys?" Roman asked more harshly than he intended.

"The checkout was taking forever." Dean answered.

"I'm sorry, Rydia. We should have been there for you." Seth apologized.

Rydia looked up from staring at the never changing concrete floors. Seth held out his hand to her. She slipped her hand into his and he lifted her up to her feet. His comforting touch was warming; but it wasn't what she wanted. She turned from him and wrapped her arms around Roman's torso. Her soft sobs could be heard throughout the entire group. "Shh, it's alright. I'm fine. There is no need to worry about me." He soothed.

"What the hell is going on out here?" An angry woman's voice filled the air.

"Nikki..." John whispered.

Seth knew the tone of voice all too well. Skye had spoke to him in that way more times than he could count and they were mostly about Rydia. From what he could see, it was once again about Rydia's involvement. "Relax, I just helped them out." John replied brushing her jealousy aside as if it wasn't there at all.

"Helping with what exactly? It just looks like you were chit-chatting instead of meeting me when you were supposed to."

"Nikki, he saved my life. If he wouldn't have come down here, I'd be dead right now."

The jealous diva crossed her arms over her chest thinking about what was expressed to her. A part of her wanted to believe her and the other part of her wanted to call her out on a lie. Roman tightened his hold on Rydia and kissed her forehead lovingly. Nikki's dark eyes turned from her fellow diva and gazed at her boyfriend. There was no lie in his blue eyes; but there was a hidden fear behind them that frightened her. "Okay, I'm sorry for the outburst."

Rydia didn't say anything. She knew that Nikki's outburst had nothing to do with the incident; but the jealousy about John giving other people attention. It annoyed her that she had that much of a self-esteem problem that she'd resort to accusations to get the attention she wanted. "Can we go? I'd like to see my sister sometime soon." Rydia asked Roman.

"Yeah, let's get out of here."

Nikki watched as the couple got into the black SUV after gathering up the scattered parts of her belongings. She knew that Rydia was upset with her and that was why she had said nothing to her. Seth nudged Dean and they continued on towards their rental leaving Nikki and John alone in the parking garage. "Are you happy now?" He asked.

"I didn't mean anything by it."

"You need to stop accusing me of infidelity. I'm not cheating on you for christ sakes. Rydia is a friend and a woman I'm impressed with because of her talent as a wrestler and her talent as a singer. That's all it is. You need to get that through your head."

John walked away from Nikki. It wasn't the first time he had been accused of cheating; but it was coming tiring to hear daily for the woman he treated like a queen.

**Greenbay, Wisconsin**

Mia stood in front of a large mirror in Randy Orton's locker-room. The second she had found out that there was another life growing inside her, the fear for its safety was becoming more and more overwhelming. There was always a chance that Nick would find out about it early before she started to show. Her heart screamed at her to run and hide; but there was no way she could just abandon everyone that meant the world to her.

"Mia...are you alright? You've been starring at yourself for twenty minutes." Randy asked coming out of the bathroom.

"I'm still not used to the idea of me being pregnant. I'm not going to be able to wrestle for a long while." She replied slightly lying about what she was thinking about.

Randy understood her concern; but she was talented enough that the company wouldn't replace her. They would wait for her if needed and he was sure of that; if not, then he'd have a talk to Hunter and Stephanie about it. He hated to think about never working with her again. They had spent so much time together over the years and he didn't want to give that up just yet.

"When are you going to tell him?"

"When he gets back from the tour. He needs to hear it face to face, not in some phone call."

"You're right. They come back tomorrow morning right?"

"Yeah, so do you mind if I hang with you tonight?"

He was taken aback by her abrupt question. Earlier, he had offered to keep her safe under Dean came back; but now she was asking him to do just that. His arm reached out to her unconsciously. She eyed him cautiously; but accepting his comforting touch on her cheek. "Sure, you can stay with me tonight." He replied with a smile and a kiss to her forehead.

Mia followed Randy out of the locker-room with their bags trailing behind them. Her stomach was turning into knots and it almost felt like she could vomit at any moment. She made a b-line straight for the restroom and expelled the contents of her stomach or what little contents there was. "Damnit..." She cursed hating throwing up.

"You alright in there?" Randy asked from outside the door.

"I'll be out in a minute."

She emerged from the room with small red splotches at the corners of her eyes. He knew that she had thrown up. Taking hold of a bottle of water from the side pocket of his bag, he handed it to her. "Drink." He suggested with a single word. She reached out to take the bottle slightly brushing her fingertips against his hand.

"Thank you, the taste in my mouth is horrible."

"I figured."

They continued on towards the exit. He didn't know how much longer he could keep his feelings for her in check. He would have thought that knowing that she was pregnant would have changed his attraction to her; but it only seemed to increase it.

**Hospital**

Skye stood up for the first time in days. Her physical strength had returned; but her mental strength was taking a lot longer to recover. The pain in her ribs was still there; but the dual pain was tolerable as long as she didn't breathe. She stretched her legs out and walked several steps before sitting back down on the bed.

"Great job! That's longer on your feet this time around." Her nurse encouraged.

"It's not enough. I don't want to be here anymore. I want to get back to my life and to my family."

Knowing that her blood family was no longer around, she considered Rydia and Mia family. She missed Seth with every fiber of her being and couldn't wait to hear from him again. Thinking of him made her heart swell and her blood pump faster throughout her veins. "Patience, young one. Take time to heal properly and things will go back to normal."

"Thank you..."

The nurse exited the room with a smile and sense of accomplishment. Skye held her phone close to her heart hoping to hear from Seth. She knew that he was probably on a plane back to the states; but she hoped that he'd at least send her an email that she could read in all her free time of recovery.

Hours and minutes continued to pass by and there was still no word from him, so she decided it was time to allow sleep to take over. A single tear rolled down her cheek while her eyes closed for the remainder of the night. The sound of a low beeping alerted her to activity on her phone. Not caring that it would hurt her ribs, she swiftly took hold of the device from the stand next to the bed.

"Seth..." She whispered with a smile upon her face.

Her fingers worked quickly to get into her e-mail application on her Samsung Galaxy S4. The name Seth Rollins was highlighted as unread. The tip of her finger touched down on the message and in a split second it was displayed for her viewing.

"_Skye,_

_The tour was amazing. I wish you could have gone with me. There were so many things I know you would have liked to see. I took a lot of pictures to show you when I get back. Unfortunately, Nick followed us here with his groups of crazed idiots. _

_ Don't worry! Rydia is fine. A little banged up; but fine nonetheless. Dean and I didn't get there until after it all went down; but from what I was told, if it hadn't been for John Cena... Rydia would be dead right now. We all owe him big time._

_ I miss you like crazy, babe! I can't wait to get back there and talk to you in person, kiss those lips, and hold onto you for as long as you let me. It won't be long. I think we still have three more hours of travel time before we land in Greenbay and the second we land, I'm going straight out to see you._

_See you soon_

_Seth"_

Her heart went out for Rydia and understood exactly what he meant by owing John Cena; but now that he has stepped in, John would be a target now. Knowing that she was just a day away from seeing Seth again warmed her enough to relax and fall asleep. She was grateful to him for telling her the truth and not hide it from her, no matter how painful it would be to know that Nick was still active.


	29. Chapter 29

**Author Note: Thanks goes to Leasha Orton, LindaPipeBomb, calwitch, THE Kid Hardy, tatyadias, and DeeMarie426 for the awesome reviews. Thanks goes to Nats22, and angelsdee327 for becoming followers to this story. I hope everyone enjoys the new chapter, it will be a little more emotional than the previous two. **

"_**So here's to you if you care to listen**_

_**Here's to you, let me cross the distance**_

_**Even if you're not here**_

_**I'll reach you, I'll reach you**_

_**Even though you're away, I'm near**_

_**We'll forgive and forget**_

_**I'll reach you"**_

_**'I'll Reach you' by: Delain**_

Chapter 29: Welcome Home

The sun was warm on Rydia's face the second she stepped into the sunlight from the airport. She tried to push what happened the previous night to the back of her mind. There was no point in dwelling on it. She had a life to continue living and people that cared a lot about her, even loved her. She knew that she had to stay strong for the people around her. Her fingers were laced with Roman's free hand in a snug fit. He was the one constant thing in her life that she could rely on and he had proved to her that he wouldn't leave her for any reason.

"It feels good to be home..." Seth whispered taking a deep breath in.

"You miss Skye don't you?" Rydia asked turning to face him for a brief moment.

"Yeah, it's been two weeks since I've seen her."

Seth smiled at her, not letting her worry about his state of mind. He had become so close to her over the last few months and she wouldn't trade that friendship for anything. Dean remained quiet and even that was out of character for him. He was always the one to lighten a mood when it was depressing. "What's wrong, Dean?" She asked.

"I've just got this bad feeling..."

"About what? Mia?" Roman asked.

"Yeah...she's been quiet for two days."

Now that he mentioned Mia's quietness, Rydia also noticed her sister's lack of conversation. The whole time she was overseas she may have received two text messages and one small phone call. Mia wasn't know for silence. The rental car was parked around the corner for them to easily enter. Roman opened the back seat door for Rydia and she tucked her head, sitting down on the leather seat. Seth crawled in the back next to her, leaving Roman to drive and Dean in the passenger seat.

The small distance from her boyfriend gave her the opportunity to message her sister about her silence. Her fingers opened the application and quickly swiped the tip of her finger over the letters to create the words she wanted to send. _**"Hey we just got back into the states, why so quiet. Dean is worried about you."**_

**Mia's Hotel Room**

Mia sat down on the edge of her bed, trying to pace herself so as not to throw up for the third time in an hour. She had no idea why anyone would want to be pregnant if that was how you felt the entire time. The sound of birds chirping alerted her to a message on her Iphone. Reading the words, her heart started to accelerate to a panic. That was the last thing she wanted to have happen. _**"I'm sorry, I've been dealing with some health problems that I will explain to him when he gets here. I'll tell you later to. Things haven't been easy here without all of you."**_

"_**Alright..."**_

Randy stirred awake from the small sofa. His blue eyes greeted her warmly. There were purplish-blue bags under her eyes from lack of sleep. He wished there was something he could to help her sleep better. Listening to her in the middle of the night, he realized that she dreamed of horrific things that could possibly happened to Dean and Rydia.

"Mia, are you alright?" He asked sitting up.

"I honestly don't know..."

He could hear the approaching sobs in the back of her throat when she spoke. Standing up and making the short distance to the bedside she was sitting upon, felt like an eternity. So many thoughts of things he could say or do to make her feel better about the current situation came to his mind in sudden flashes. "Everything will be alright. Dean will be fine with all of this. I truly believe that. "

"Now I know you're lying, because you don't like him."

Randy sat down next to her and reached for the side of her face. His hand cupped the back of her neck, tangling his fingers through her soft hair. Mia froze with his sudden bold gesture of comfort. Her eyes remained sore from her thousands of tears shed for sake of disappointment in herself. "It's not that I don't like him...I envy him, because he has you."

"He has me because you didn't want me anymore, remember?"

"It was a mistake. I still love you."

Mia laughed halfheartedly. She never imaged those words to come out of his mouth ever again after what he did last year. Randy cocked his head to the side out of confusion to her reaction. She held her hand up to prevent him to speak. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have laughed. Randy I appreciate that you still care about me; but our time is over. My heart belongs to Dean and that's the way it will be."

"I know; but I needed to tell you."

She reached up and rested her hand on his forearm. He needed closure from their previous relationship. Not thinking about the pregnancy eased the turmoil in her stomach. It was the best she felt for hours. "We never did have a clean break, did we?" She whispered.

"It was a harsh break on my part and I'm sorry. I regret leaving you..."

He boldly tried to lean in closer to her lips. She sucked in a startled breath of air and out of reflex she pulled her head away. "Don't make this harder. I don't want to push you away completely. I've enjoyed your company over the last two days. I want to stay friends." Mia pleaded.

"I'm always going to be a friend" He replied placing his lips tenderly on her forehead.

His actions were confusing her. During the entire time they were together, he never was this open with her about anything. The words he expressed broke the dam of tears she held back by a weak barrier. Randy never thought that she'd cry in front of him; but this was the third time in the last forty-eight hours. "Don't cry. It's fine. He captured your heart and he deserves someone like you. I just hope he can be what I couldn't be."

"Can we please stop talking about this? I'm pregnant with his child, there is no going back to how things used to be. You can either be my friend through this or you can stay away from us."

"I'm not going anywhere..."

"Okay..."

Her hand trembled against the skin of his forearm. After knowing that Randy had cheated on her in the past, she thought that she'd never be able to speak to him on this kind of level; but the more they spoke to one another the more she realized that he really was a good person deep down and it brought back to her mind the real reason why she was with him in the first place. "I should have treated you better. I'm not going to try and win you over; but you need to know that I still care about you and will be there for you if you ever need me for anything."

"Thank you, I'm sorry that I've always been so hostile towards you in the past. I should have let you talk to me all the times you tried to."

Randy shook his head, "No, you had every reason to do that. I need to go. Dean will be here soon I can imagine and I really don't want to be here when he gets here." He stated and leaned in closer to her face once again, attempting to give the last kiss he'd ever place on her lips and this time she didn't back away. His lips chastely touched hers and a brief kiss that lasted only a few seconds; but it was enough to give him some closure.

Dean made his way into the hotel lobby Mia was presently staying in. He couldn't wait to see her. All of his emotions swirling around his heart, felt like a liquid drug coursing through his veins. Her blue eyes sparkled every time he came close to her. She just brightened his world entirely. His smile quickly faded the second he saw Randy Orton stepping out of Mia's room.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dean snapped grabbing him by the shirt collar, slamming him up against the wall next to the door.

"Protecting me..." Mia answered standing in the open doorway with scared look upon her beautiful features.

Randy pushed Dean away from him and cautiously stepped out around him. Mia nodded her head, indicating that she was fine and that she needed to do it alone. He understood her silent words and backed away. They watched as the man known as 'The Viper' was completely out of sight. Mia nervously fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, suddenly feeling fatter than she really was.

"Mia..." Dean whispered.

"Somehow... I imagined my life to be simpler than it is now..."

"What are you talking about? Did something happen? Why was he protecting you?"

Mia tired to smile to ease his excessive questions of panic; but it failed. She turned her back to him and walked inside the room with him trailing at her heels. He wasn't going to leave without the answers he wanted. Something wasn't right with her and hadn't been since before he left for the overseas tour. "I love you, you know that right?" She stated sitting down at the edge of the bed.

"Of course I do, what are you saying? It's freaking me out."

"There is something you need to know..."

Dean's heart accelerated even faster and it felt like it would literally pound out of his chest it was physically able to. She was making him worry about what happened while he was away. Thoughts of her sleeping with Randy invaded his mind and it sent him over the edge. "You slept with him didn't you?" He asked in a saddened whisper.

"What! No! You know me better than that. That's what he did to me, remember?" She replied offended that he would even think of such a thing to begin with.

"Then what's the matter? You've been acting weird for over a week now."

"It's because I'm pregnant, Dean."

His eyes expanded as wide as they would go in shock. He sunk down to sit down next to her on the bed. The reality of what she was telling him was finally sinking into his head. Running a hand through his damp hair, he looked up to face her. Her heartbroken expression almost killed him instantly. Dean couldn't take the look anymore and in one swift movement, he captured her lips with his own. A soft moan echoed within her throat as his skilled touches played heavenly all over her skin.

"Dean..." She whispered against his barely parted lips.

He allowed her a moment to catch her breath before kissing her once again. His lips make a trail from her swollen lips to the nape of her neck. Mia's body was beginning to heat up with desire as he was filling every ounce of her fantasies with an answer. She lifted his shirt over his head, running her fingernails down his bare chest causing a shiver to run up his spine.

Dean groaned at every one of her gentle touches; but the second he lifted up her shirt he could see her bare breasts for his viewing. Licking his lips unconsciously, he leaned in and took one hardened nipple into his mouth. He was careful not to put too much pressure on it, knowing that her breasts probably hurt with all the extra hormones running through her entire being.

His knee gently parted her legs so he could slide between them, leaning her onto her back. She could feel his kisses travel from her own lips down her chest and stop just above her stomach. When she didn't feel anything at all, her eyes opened to see Dean staring at her stomach. He reached out and hesitantly placed a hand lovingly on her still flat abdomen.

"I swear to you, that I will never let anything happen to you or our baby. I love you, princess."

Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks, not knowing what to say in response to his promise. All she could do was except his love in every way he gave it.

**The Hospital, Skye's Room**

Skye moved around her room, stretching her legs out for the eighth time of the day. She couldn't wait until she could go home and heal in the comfort of her own home; but she couldn't deny the amount of progress she had made since admitted to the room. Her foot stepped forward towards the doorway of her room; but she lost her balance and began to fall forward. Instead of falling onto the hard tiled floor, her head slammed into a warm body.

"Careful, you're supposed to be getting better not making more injuries." A warm voice she instantly recognized entered her ears.

"Seth..." She whispered lifting her head up to greet him with a smile.

"Miss me?"

She didn't need to answer his obvious question. Her lips covering his was an answer in itself. His hand cupped her face softly, enjoying the feel of her kisses against his lips. He couldn't imagine what she was going through, being confined to just one room everyday for almost three weeks now. "How is everyone?" She asked when she broke away from him.

"Good, Rydia is fine. We aren't really sure what's been up with Mia, she hasn't been talking much since we left."

"I bet she's misses Dean a great deal. I'm glad that Roman was there for Rydia during the conflict."

Before Seth could answer, the nurse rolled a small machine into the room with a blood pressure cuff attached to a small computer. "I'm here to check vitals. If everything is good today and tonight, you can go home tomorrow morning." The small lady informed the eager couple.

"That's great!" Seth stated full of hope that things would go just fine.

The nurse wrapped the cuff around Skye's delicate arms and pushed a small button on the machine to start it up. Within a few moments, her blood pressure was read and her temperature was taken. Much to Seth's relief, everything was normal with her vitals. Skye sat down on her bed trying to figure out something to say to the man she had been fighting for for so long. Seth sat down next to her, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. Out of instinct, she leaned her head onto his shoulder.

"What do we do now?" She asked softly.

"What do you mean?"

"We really need to find a way to end all of this once and for all before Rydia gets killed."

It surprised Seth that she bringing up Nick and Rydia. He figured that she wouldn't want to talk about the subject since the reason she was in the hospital in the first place was because of Nick; but he also understood her need to protect Rydia. She was Skye's best friend and a close friend to him. "We may not see him for a while now that he attacked her overseas. He may need to regroup and rethink his methods. That gives us time to come up with a plan of our own."

"I need to get out of here so I can be with her. She needs me."

"No, she needs you out of harms way and safe. We both want that."

Skye pulled away from Seth's hold and looked at him a hurt expression upon her face. She couldn't believe the way he was treating her. "I'm not going to leave her alone to deal with him. She's going to need all of us and you need to understand that. Regardless if I'm injured, I'm going to be near her just like you guys have been."

Seth smiled. He admired her courage to continue to be in harms way just to protect someone she cared about deeply; but it also meant that now he had to be watchful of two women instead of just one. Skye was stubborn and would never do what he asked her to do when it came to Rydia. He reached out and cupped the side of her face. "Okay; but you have to promise me to stay away if it becomes too dangerous. I don't want to loose you. Especially now that I've realized that my feelings for you have never changed. I'm still in love with you, Skye."

"I love you too, Seth" She replied with a smile.

**Hotel Lobby**

Rydia followed the silent Roman into the lobby for check in. Ever since Nick's attack on her, he had been ultra quiet for most of the plane right and the drive to the hotel. She felt like she had done something wrong to earn the cold shoulder he was giving her. He checked into his room and stepped aside to allow her access to the desk.

"Room for Rydia Chandler." She stated.

"I'm sorry miss, we are currently full at the moment." The clerk replied with a disappointed tone to his voice.

"I see...what room is my sister Mia Chandler in? I'll just stay with her."

The worker quickly typed the name into the computer and hit the search button. Mia's name popped up; but with a red flashing indication. "She is here; but her room is under private visitation. I can't give you the number without her authorization." Rydia frowned at the unwelcoming information. She was going to have to find a different hotel and stay alone.

"Add her name to my room." Roman interrupted.

"I can do that." The man replied and handed Rydia a key to the room Roman was now staying in.

Rydia looked at him and smiled. He reached for her hand and twined his fingers with hers. Walking to their room, it gave her time to think about what she wanted to say to him about what happened the day before. Roman opened the door and allowed her inside first. As soon as the door closed behind them, Rydia turned to face him with a confused look upon her features.

"Please tell me what's wrong? Did I do something that upset you?" Rydia asked.

"You didn't do anything wrong. It's me that's the problem."

She started to close the distance between them. She had no idea why he would be saying that he was a problem. If it wasn't for him she would have given up on everything by now. "How are you the problem?" She asked in a hushed whisper.

"I couldn't protect you yesterday. If John hadn't stepped in, you wouldn't be here right now. I almost lost you..."

"But you didn't! I'm still here. Living and breathing."

Rydia lifted his hand and placed it against her heart for him to feel the beating of heart. She wanted him to feel her proof of living. His eyes softened and before she could blink his lips were on hers. His kisses felt desperate; but she didn't mind. She enjoyed feeling his need for her. "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you." He whispered.

"I'm not going to let him get me. I have too much to live for now. I've always been a fighter and I will continue to be one until he is finally out of our lives for good."

"I love you..."

"I love you too."

She leaned up and kissed his lips eagerly. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bed they would be sharing for the duration they would staying in the city. Her smiled changed to a lust coated grin. His tongue swept across her lips, wanting access to her warm mouth. She granted his request with open arms and danced her own tongue with his.

Roman slid his hands up her sides, pushing her shirt up and planting kisses along the way up. The sound of Rydia's phone interrupted the entire moment. He groaned in disappointment. She giggled a little at his annoyed groan. "Sorry, it's my sister." She stated picking up the phone that lay discarded on the bed.

"Hello, Mia."

"Can we talk?"

"Of course, what's up?"

"You're going to be an aunt."

"What? Are you serious?"

There was a second pause before Mia answered with a 'yes'. Rydia couldn't believe that her sister was pregnant now with all the chaos that was a part of their lives. She couldn't tell if Mia was happy about it or upset. There was no emotions in her voice at all. "Did you tell Dean?" Rydia asked cautiously.

"Yes, he's right next to me as we speak."

"I don't know what to say except congratulations."

"Thank you. I feel better about it now that Dean knows."

Mia kept the conversation brief and short. Rydia was still stunned by the bombshell her sister left her with. Roman continued to stare at her waiting for an explanation to the phone call. She sunk down onto the bed next to him. "What's going on? You are more pale than usual." He commented.

"Mia's pregnant."

"Damn... this is probably the worst timing to get pregnant. Nick will target her for sure now."

"I know and I think she knows that to. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure nothing happens to her or my unborn niece or nephew."

"I figured you'd say that, which makes my job all the more harder."

Rydia kissed his lips softly before resting her head against his chest. He wrapped his large arms around her, holding her for as long as he was allowed to. She felt his lips on her forehead and it made her smile knowing just how much he loved her. Her hand rested on her stomach as she tried to imagine what it would be like to be pregnant herself.


	30. Chapter 30

**Author Note: Thanks goes to Slytherin Studios, DeeMarie426, angelsdee327, LindaPipeBomb and THE Kid Hardy for the awesome reviews. I appreciate every single encouraging word and I apologize for the delay in update. I've been having a hard time writing lately due to personal problems. I do intend to finish this story, so please stay patient with me. **

"_**Angel by day, Devil by night**_

_**Poison all the way, heaven by my side**_

_**Nothing can compare to the way you make me feel**_

_**Blinded by your stare**_

_**Tell me this is real**_

_**Wherever you're going, you know that I'll be there**_

_**However you need me, just say when or where"**_

_**'Siempre Tu' by: Deiga Boneta (Pretty Little Liars)**_

Chapter 30: Broken Dreams (Part 1)

**Wrestlemania 30, Before Show**

Rydia sat on the floor of the locker-room she shared with the three members of The Shield, stretching her legs out to a noticeable flexible level. She leaned forward allowing her breasts to lay on the floor. Tonight was the biggest night in her short career. She was challenging AJ Lee for the Diva's Championship. Unfortunately, her mind continued to wander to other things instead of what it needed to be on.

Knowing her sister was now pregnant made her worry constantly about her safety. Listening to how happy both Mia and Dean were only made it that much more important to keep them safe. She didn't speak of the pregnancy in public or to anyone with ears so no one could tell Nick about it. The longer he didn't know the better.

"Okay, it's time for different music. I'm never going to be able to concentrate." She told herself getting up from the floor.

She walked across the cold floor to her Ihome system. Lifting her Ipod from the console, she scrolled through her playlists and found her Yoga/ Meditation music list and decided to play it instead of her usual hard rock and metal ones. The sounds of flowing water and nature with dance style background attributes allowed her to calm her mind down. Enigma was probably her favorite artist in that particular genre of music and listening to them allowed her to regain her focus.

"Alright, Rydia let's get focused..." She stated to herself once again.

The second she got complete focus on the task at hand there was a harsh knock at the door that interrupted her. She let out an annoyed groan and made her way to the door. Her eyes went wide the second she laid eyes on her opponent for the evening, AJ Lee. There was absolutely no reason for her to be there and the sly smile plastered on her face was a clear indication that something was going through her mind.

_**The Previous Night**_

_AJ Lee danced among a large crowd of people, letting the beat of the music engulf her in its hypnotizing mayhem. A bright red cup was held securely in her left hand as her arms were raised above her head, trying to feel the energy radiating from the hundreds of people around her. A set of firm warm hands took hold of her narrow hips, pulling her closer to the rock hard body behind._

"_Hush, pet..." His voice washed over her ears in a lust coated plea._

"_Who are you?" She asked leaning her head against his chest, trying to get a look at him._

"_Someone who can help you achieve utter greatness..."_

_ The sound of his voice expressed great desire to give her what she wanted; but the question was how did he know what she wanted and why would he want to help her get that goal. She spun in his arms to get a good look at him. His long light brown hair hung loosely over his dark eyes. He dripped of sex appeal when she notices his muscle toned body, silently noting that he had more muscles than someone the superstars she worked with._

"_Who are you? Why would you want to help me?" She asked taking a drink from her cup._

"_My name is Nick. My reasons to help are strictly my business; but I couldn't help but admire you from the balcony. You are absolutely beautiful..."_

_ Nick ran a hand down her arm, sending shivers up her spine. She smiled at the small touch. Her life had become complicated when her boyfriend decided to take a break from their relationship when he walked out on the company after The Royal Rumble. She felt alone and the man in front of her was granting her wish by paying attention to her._

"_Let's grab a table and talk." Nick suggested and offered her his hand._

"_Sure..." She replied accepting his offer._

_ He played the gentleman part well as he pulled a chair out for her to sit upon before sitting down himself. He continued to buy her drinks when she wanted them; but the fact was he had done this dance several times over. He knew exactly how to seduce a woman and have them do his bidding for a great deal of time. "I'm assuming you do not care for the newest diva on the roster. Am I right?" He asked._

"_If you mean that little favored brat Rydia Chandler, then yes you are right."_

_ Nick laughed at her choice of words to describe his ex-girlfriend. 'Brat' wasn't the word that came to mind when he thought about her. AJ scowled at the thought of her rival in the reign of top diva in the division. In her mind, Rydia was inexperienced and not suited for the task; but Stephanie loved her a great deal the way she presents herself when shes out there performing for the people. _

"_What's so funny?" She asked._

"_Your choice of words. 'Brat' isn't the word I'd use for her."_

_ AJ looked up from her cup and looked directly into his eyes. In the minutes they've known each other, she felt like he could give her answers to every question she has had over the last few months. "How do you know her?" _

"_She's my ex."_

"_Oh so this is about revenge?"_

"_Something like that..."_

"_Fair enough. I doubt that you would have started this conversation with me if you didn't want something; so what do you need from me?"_

**Present Time, Shield Locker-room**

"AJ, what are you doing here?" Rydia asked not bothering to hide her confusion.

"You must really like the attention you get, don't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

AJ took a small step forward, closing the already small distance between them. Rydia was starting to feel like that was something out of place with the whole situation. It smelled of Nick Grayson's involvement. Her eyes narrowed at her rival for the evening. "Oh I think you do. Do you like knowing that both Roman and Seth would do anything for you?"

"Seth and I are just friends. Roman and I are happy together. Who the hell told you that Seth has feelings for me? He's with my best friend Skye Atherton, in case you have forgotten."

"He keeps telling himself that he doesn't but how long do you think that will last when he sees you in danger or heaven forbid...hurt."

Rydia perked at the tone of her voice when she spoke the word 'hurt'. There was a smile on her face and it just wasn't any kind of smile. It was one she had seen a hundred times over when she played the vindictive and manipulative diva on screen. "You need to leave. I have no idea what you are talking about so would you please just leave."

"Now why would I do that, now that I know everything you've done up until this point in your career."

"I've done nothing to you."

"True; but you have to a new friend of mine and whatever happens tonight for the show is business. As far as after goes, this won't be the last time we will talking like this."

AJ turned to walk away. Rydia snagged her wrist before she could get too far away. The anger in her heart burned a fire behind her blue eyes. AJ saw the anger and felt accomplish in succeeding in the first step of the plan. "Is that a threat?" Rydia snapped.

"If I was threatening you, you'd know it. See you out there, Rydia."

With those words said, AJ walked away. Rydia stood in the doorway of the locker-room thinking about every word the woman said to her. There was only one person that would go great lengths to seduce the heartbroken woman to get back at her and that was none other that Nick Grayson. Her temper finally crossed over the line and she threw the nearest chair across the room, crashing it into the wall.

"Rydia, what's going on?" Seth asked stepping into the room just as she threw the chair.

"Well, Nick just recruited someone else." Rydia replied throwing her hands up in the air out of frustration.

Realizing who she was talking about, he also knew that she was in even more danger now that Nick had another set eyes from the inside. Seth reached out and cupped her face from both sides, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "She means nothing. We will get through this just like we get through everything else he throws at us."

"Seth, you don't get it. AJ is just lost now that Phil pretty much left her. Nick is using her and I'm not going to let him hurt her just to bring me down. She's completely innocent in all of this."

"I know. You need to be careful out there tonight with her. Who knows what she has planned."

Looking into his eyes, they held such warmth that screamed longing. She shook her head and started to back away. Thinking back on AJ's words about Seth having feelings for her, she denied the possibility of that being true. She wanted to believe that he cared about Skye with all his heart. He watched her reaction, seeing the confusion written all over her face. "Go get changed for your match, I'll find the others and inform them of what happened." Seth suggested.

"Thanks..."

Seth closed the door behind him the moment he stepped out of the room. He saw the last minute script changes laying next the door. Picking up the bundle of papers, skipping over the parts that didn't involved any of the members of the group. A smile coated his parted lips when he saw the outcome of Rydia's match; but it faded when he saw the ending of the match and what his involvement was. "Damnit, that was supposed to end...what the hell changed?" He whispered squeezing the papers up against his chest tightly.

Dean walked down the hall with his fingers laced with Mia's. She was wearing a semi-short navy blue sundress with a short jean jacket over it. Her stomach was turning into knots, not doing what she wanted it to do. He let go of her hand just as she started her bolt to the bathroom. Seth approached him with the clenching papers in his hand.

"Are you alright, Seth? You look upset." Dean asked.

"Nick recruited AJ Lee. She threatened Rydia already tonight."

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"No and to top it all off, my onscreen relationship was supposed to end already and it didn't. I have to kiss her tonight again.

Mia walked out of the bathroom holding her stomach. She groaned a little but felt a little better since throwing up. She heard part of the conversation as she emerged from the room. "I don't see what the big problem is, Seth. You guys are friends." Mia stated.

"Mia, it matters. Stephanie was changing it for Roman to take my place and I don't understand what changed."

The couple looked at each other and realized that Seth must still have some lingering feelings for Rydia for him to make that much of a fuss about an onscreen relationship with her. Seth shook his head and walked away towards the parking garage for some air. Mia wanted to follow him and make sure he would be okay; but Dean held onto her arm. "Let him be. He needs to figure things out himself."

"He pisses me off sometimes. He knew that Roman and her would be something. Why would he even let feelings come through for her?"

"Sometimes you just can't help who you have feelings for..." Randy's voice interrupted.

Dean cringed at the sight of him. He hated that Mia accepted his friendship over better judgment. Randy smiled at the woman he once called his girlfriend and she returned his warm smile and one of her own. He reached out and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as he stepped out of the building in pursuit of Seth Rollins. She was slightly hurt by the fact he didn't stop and talk to her. It had been awkward between them since the closure she gave him about their past relationship. _**"I'm sorry, Randy..."**_ She mentally apologize as she continued to watch him until he was out of sight.


	31. Chapter 31

**Author Note: Thanks goes to Genius892050 and Smngrfl88 for becoming followers to this story. Thanks also goes to THE Kid Hardy, calwitch, Slytherin Studios, DeeMarie426, LindaPipeBomb, Leasha Orton and tatasdias for the reviews. I'm glad you all gave your honest opinions of the newest chapter. **

"_**Slowly fading**_

_**Burnt like fire in a pyre**_

_**Life will disappear with you**_

_**And now**_

_**All I hear is silence**_

_**Somehow**_

_**All I wish for**_

_**Faded in the dark"**_

_**'I Burn In You' by: Lacuna Coil**_

Chapter 31: Broken Dreams (Part 2)

Mia felt the guilt twinge in her heart when she realized that Randy was purposely avoiding her. After their conversation, she had been the one to break his heart. She hated feeling that guilt and the only hope she had was that Randy would accept it and be there for her as the friend he promised they'd be.

"How are you feeling?" Dean asked changing the subject not wanting to talk about Randy's sudden appearance.

"Better than earlier. I'm still not used to being pregnant yet."

"Me either; but let's give it time. I think eventually it will sink in."

AJ Lee smiled from around the corner. Mia's words of pregnancy gave her an idea. Without thinking about it any further, she turned to find a secluded room to make a phone call to Nick. Once she thought she was hidden enough, her fingers moved across the screen of her phone. Within several short rings, his voice greeted her warmly.

"Hello, my sweet. How are things?" He asked.

"I thought you'd like to know that Mia Chandler is pregnant."

On the other side of the phone, Nick fell silent with a twisted smile upon his lips. He never would have imagine that they would make it so easy to break down Rydia. Everything just played out perfectly as long as his new play toy did her part. "Nick...are you there?" She asked softly wondering why there was silence on the other side.

"There is something I need you to do tonight, babe." He replied.

"What's that?"

Randy stepped out into the parking garage. He glanced around searching for Seth. He found him leaning against the black SUV that the group used to travel place to place. Seth looked up from the ground he had been staring a hole into and met Randy's concerned look. "What do you want?" He asked kicking a small stone under the nearby vehicle.

"I know how you feel, you know. I still have feelings for Mia and they won't go away no matter what I do."

"I really thought my feelings for Skye would make the ones I had for Rydia go away. I love Skye, I really do; but Rydia just..."

"She completes you." Randy finished.

Seth looked up. The look on Randy's face seemed sincere and full on knowledge. Something about the conversation seemed to relax him enough to think about what it is he wanted to do. "Believe me I know how you feel. Her friendship means the world to you and without it you'd be lost; so you pretend that your feelings for her don't affect you at all."

"Looks like you know exactly how I'm feeling; so how do you deal with it."

Randy's shoulder slumped down. He didn't know how to answer that question, because he was still trying to figure that out himself. Seth noticed the hesitation in him and realized that he probably didn't have an answer for him. He knew that he needed to tell Skye what would transpire later that evening in the ring. He figured that particular moment was as good as any.

"I need to talk to Skye..."

"Sure, of course..."

Randy backed away and headed back inside the building. Talking to Seth only seemed to make his heart ache for Mia even more; but deep down he knew that she was happy with her life and he just needed to let her go. The only thing he could really do was help her get rid of Nick.

**Wrestlemania 30, Diva's Championship Match**

The thousands of fans screamed at the top of their lungs for excitement of the show so far. Michael Cole, JBL, and Jerry Lawler talked between themselves about the rivalry between AJ Lee and Rydia Chandler before the match begun. They replayed footage from the previous weeks, including the match between Tamina and Rydia that gave Rydia the opportunity for the title shot in the first place.

AJ's music started up first and she emerged from the black curtain behind the stage along with Tamina trailing behind. Her smile was just as devious as always; but there was something else behind the smile that alerted Seth to warn Rydia once more before going out there. AJ skipped around the ring holding the title above her head.

"Rydia!" Seth yelled as she passed him heading for the stage.

"Not now. I've got to get out there." She replied continuing on.

"You have to be careful out there with her. Something doesn't feel right."

She turned to look at him. The fear behind his dark eyes made her really consider that there was something really wrong. Her hand reached out to take hold of his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Stop worrying about me. I'll be fine." She replied and turned away from him.

"Rydia..." He whispered watching her walk out onto the stage at the sound her music.

The crowd screamed and cheered for her the second they saw her. Her long brown hair was tinted with red highlights that sparkled against all the lighting in the arena. She wore a pair of black vinyl shorts and matching halter-top. AJ stared at her opponent in the eyes as she made her way to the ring. Once all music had died, Justin Roberts lifted the microphone to his lips to introduce the two women.

"The following divas contest is scheduled for one fall and it is for the Diva's Championship. Introducing first, the challenger...Rydia Chandler."

The sound of her name rolling of his tongue signaled the crowd to be as loud as they possibly could be. When Justin introduced the champion, they weren't nearly as loud and it annoyed AJ. When Rydia was gone, she just knew that the people would start respecting her more. The thought of her being gone brought a smile to her face.

The bell rung to start the match, leaving the two women to circle each other for a moment before locking up in the center. Rydia took control by turning AJ's arm around her back, yanking hard on the joint. She slapped her shoulder to keep feeling her arm. Tamina paced back and forth waiting for a moment that she could interfere.

AJ flipped Rydia over her back to land on her butt. Swiftly, she got back to her feet to meet an awkward stare. Rydia slapped AJ across the face, instigating a more physical battle. This was more personal than business and that slap was more real than not. The stunned woman a few inches away only smiled when she realized that Rydia was making it personal.

AJ went for a clothesline; but Rydia ducked under and returned with a standing dropkick to the face, knocking her down for only a brief moment. She attempted to use the ropes as leverage to gain speed for a knockdown; but Tamina held onto her leg. Rydia pulled her leg free and kicked Tamina away; but the distraction was enough for AJ to use the 'Shining Wizard' maneuver for knock her down.

The count was broken at two when Rydia raised her shoulder off the canvas. AJ screamed in frustration, thinking that would have put her adversary away. She wrapped her arm around Rydia's neck for the sleeping hold. "Give it up, Rydia." She screamed playing her part well for the crowd.

"No!" Rydia screamed back trying to fight back to her feet with the support of the people behind her.

Getting to a knee, she reached back and held onto AJ's head. She dropped down delivering a neck-breaker to gain some space between them. Mia watched from the backstage camera nearest to the locker-room The Shield used. A smile crept to her lips when her sister countered the submission. Her smile quickly faded when a hand wrapped around her face, covering her mouth and silenced her scream.

"Quiet down, Mia. You wouldn't want to miss the ending of the match now would you?" Nick's sly voice whispered in her ear.

The feeling of a sharp point directly aimed at her abdomen made it very clear to stay quiet. She mentally prayed for someone to rescue her. The instinct to protect the life growing within her womb was overwhelming and the only way she could do that presently was to do everything he told her to do.

Rydia connected with a forearm to AJ's face that knocked her back several steps. Her shrill scream echoed throughout the entire arena, wrapping her body around Rydia's in a painful submission that pulled at her arm. "We both know how this match is supposed to end; but I want you to throw this match. You don't deserve the spotlight." AJ whispered.

"You're fucking crazy. I'll do no such thing. This is my dream."

"You will throw this match or your sister and the life she's carrying will be history, understand."

Rydia heart stopped for a moment, realizing the threat was very real. She had told no one of Mia's pregnancy; but somehow AJ knew which meant Nick knew as well. "And if I do, then what?" Rydia asked trying to stay in character for the sake of the show.

"Mia is free to go; but you must leave the company. Just come to the parking garage that's where she'll be."

Both her dream and her sister's life hung in the balance. Rydia's eyes burned with tears as she became torn with the decision. Her wrist reached over across her forearm and tapped her fingers against her skin, alerting the referee to the submission. AJ let go of her rival and frantically reached for the title, holding the title up in victory. A victory that was false.

Seth couldn't believe what he was seeing and without a second thought he ran down the ring to help Rydia. The crowd cheered for his presence as he helped her to her feet. The tears were barely behind the dam of lashes. Blinking once, the river started. He couldn't understand what happened and why she would suddenly throw a match she was supposed to win. His lips crashed down upon hers within seconds, pleasing the crowd greatly; but the feeling of betraying Skye and Roman was starting to set guilt into his conscious for enjoying the kiss her was sharing with her.

Nick laughed; but refused to let go of Mia. He began to drag her with him towards the parking garage. Opening the backseat door, he gave her a gentle shove into the back and closed the door behind him. She pounded her fists against the glass over and over again, yelling at him to let her go; but he ignored every single plea.

"There's my winner." He greeted when AJ emerged with her title safely over her shoulder.

"That was easy. It was like taking candy from a baby so to speak."

"Well Rydia never was a tough person when backed into a corner."

Rydia ran down the hall heading to rescue Mia from her captor. Her desperation made her clumsy and the tears that were pouring from her eyes made her vision blurry at best. "Rydia, wait! What the hell happened out there?" Seth asked catching up to her.

"I don't have time for this! Nick has Mia!"

"Is that why you threw the match?"

Rydia nodded her head. The knowledge set in and he completely froze, realizing why she was so scared. Rydia perked when she heard footsteps coming closer to their location. Roman and Dean emerged from around the corner with concerned looks upon their faces. Roman was the last person she wanted to see in that moment. She felt like she had disappointed him in more ways than one.

"What happened out there? You were supposed to win tonight..." Roman asked softly trying not to look at Seth. He figured he'd deal with him at a later time.

"Nick has Mia. AJ told me to throw the match or else Mia would be next to die. I didn't have a choice..."

Dean's rage was building when he heard the situation all of them were placed in. Rydia couldn't stand the look of despair written on his face. It broke her to pieces knowing that it was her fault that someone else was suffering. She was going to stand up to Nick herself and this time, without any backup at all.

"Let me go alone... he may still kill her if any of you come with me."

"That's just crazy. There is no way I'm letting you go alone." Roman pleaded pulling her into his arms.

She smiled against his chest. His love for her warmed her completely to the core. Her eyes flinched when she heard Dean smash his fist into a piece of temporary drywall next to the room. Rydia moved out of Roman's arms and touched Dean's shoulder gentle. "I will bring her back to you, I promise." She stated with a smile that was laced with sorrow filled tears.

"Rydia, please don't go alone. Let one of us go with you for backup." He replied.

"No, I won't risk her life or the life she going to be bringing into the world."

She turned her back to them and stood face to face with Seth. Without even knowing it, he had been the rock she needed to stay sane in the hell they were a part of. Her arms wrapped around his torso quickly and held on for a few moments before letting go of him completely. "Please stay away. Let me do this alone. Mia is safer this way. I love you all..." She told them and then started her short walk to the garage.

Nick leaned against his vehicle with his arms crossed over his chest. AJ paced back and forth along the concrete. She was beginning to get impatient with waiting to see the defeated look upon her face. She wanted to see the shattered dreams in her eyes. Nick lifted his head the second he heard to door open.

"It's about damn time you showed up." AJ stated.

"Why don't you shut the hell up. This is between me and Nick; but I'm going to tell you this since I am a nice person."

"Tell me what?"

"He's using you. Once he get's what he wants he will throw you to the curb like a bag of trash. He has no feelings and won't care about yours."

AJ only smiled. She tossed aside the words meaninglessly. Rydia realized that she wasn't taking her seriously and there was nothing she could do about it. She hoped that she wasn't too far gone; but by the looks of things, she was.

"Release Mia, Nick. You got what you wanted, now let her go."

"You really are no fun at all, you know that."

"It's not supposed to be fun. Just let her go, she's got nothing to do with any of this."

Nick opened the car door and pulled Mia out by the arm. The sisters shared a look of relief to know the other was okay; but he continued to hold onto her arm. Rydia sniffled back a sob and tried to smile. "You did what AJ told you to do?" Nick asked.

"Yes, I will quit the company and you'll never see me compete again..."

"What! No, Rydia you can't. It's been your dream to be champion since you started here." Mia pleaded.

"No dream is worth more than your life, little sister."

Mia's tears rolled down her cheeks realized what her sister gave up just to protect her for one more day. She very much doubted that Nick would give up on harming her now that he knew that she was pregnant. Nick smiled and let go of Mia's arm, allowing her to return to her family. She ran towards her sister and wrapped her arms around her tightly, not wanting to let go. She was making herself believe everything was real.

"You can't trust them to keep their end up. They know now and I doubt this will be the last time they will come after me." Mia whispered.

"It's alright, just go back to the others. They are inside waiting for me to bring you back. You have a very distraught boyfriend inside."

The thought of Dean accelerated her heart and brought a smile to her face. Rydia knew that her sister was meant for great things and protecting her had been the greatest job tasked to her throughout her entire life. She loved being the older sister and nothing would ever change that. "Mia go inside please." She stated keeping her eyes directly on Nick the whole time.

"Absolutely not. There is no way I'm leaving you with them."

"Please, Mia. I need to do this alone."

"Rydia..."

Rydia nodded her head and gave her sister a gentle push towards the door. Mia began to walk away fearing the worst, hesitating in letting her do anything alone. When she turned back to look at her sister one more time, Nick was holding a gun out in front of him with his finger on the trigger. The sound of shot was deafening. Everything seems to flow in slow motion and flashes of Rydia's life appeared right before her eyes.

The bullet caught Rydia directly in the chest just above her heart. Mia's eyes filled with tears automatically, watching as her sister fell to the ground, blood pooling around her body rapidly. A scream escaped her throat as she ran to her side. AJ knelt down next to the fallen woman with tears of her own.

"You never said anything about killing her! You said it was just going to be a scare!" She yelled just as Nick jumped into his vehicle and drove off with a screech of tires.

"Rydia! Come on girl stay with me! Please..." Mia pleaded pulling her shirt over her head to apply the fabric to the open wound to hold back the bleeding as best as she could.

Rydia's eyes remained opened, staring into Mia's. She was scared and the pain was immense. Words wouldn't form in her mouth and her body wouldn't obey her wishes. AJ's dark hair caught her attention. The sorrow expression on her face made her believe that she had no idea that Nick was planning to do whatever it was he did.

"Go get the medics!" Mia yelled at AJ.

She did what she was told, scrambling from the floor with blood on her hands. The door flew open, slamming against the wall behind it. The paramedics were inside the building in the room next to the exit. Roman, Dean, and Seth were still waiting patiently for Rydia's return with Mia. AJ froze upon seeing them; but didn't hesitate in getting the paramedics.

AJ knew Rydia's life was hanging on by just a thread. There was just too much blood for it not to be. The second the medics were through the door, Roman looked over to catch sight of AJ trembling with blood on her hands. "What happened?" He yelled alerting her to their presence.

"He shot her...I...I only wanted to scare her..." AJ babbled.

"Rydia..." Roman whispered and turned heel to run out into the parking garage.

The others followed behind seconds later; but instantly stopped when the saw the sight before them. The medics were lifting Rydia onto a stretcher with blood still rolling down her arm. Roman was horrified by the scene. He was scared for the first time since childhood. There was a real possibility that he could loose her forever.

"Rydia!" He yelled running up to the stretcher.

"Keep your distance, sir. We need to hurry." One of the medics stated.

"Will she be okay?"

"Depends on how fast we can get to the hospital."

Roman backed off, allowing them to place her into the waiting ambulance. Mia jumped into the back before the doors closed. "I'll text you where we are." She stated. Within seconds they pulled away leaving the others alone with the horrifying thoughts of never seeing her again.

**End Note: How many of you would like to see this turned into a trilogy or a series? I've been having a lot of ideas as of late and I don't know if I should split this story into parts. **


	32. Chapter 32

**Author Note: Thanks goes to MissAmazing101, Murphy's Caitie Girl, shieldbabe, and RiderOfRevenge13149 for becoming followers of this story. Thanks also goes to tataydias, DeeMarie426, Slytherin Studios, THE Kid Hardy, calwitch, JohnsAngel22, caz21, and LindaPipeBomb for the reviews. I hope to answer all of questions in this next chapter.**

"_**Here I'm sitting**_

_**One step too far**_

_**For you I'm reaching, my falling star**_

_**So out of words**_

_**So full of wounds**_

_**I wander here, among my ruins."**_

_**'Transparent' by: Elysion**_

Chapter 32: The Unknown In Life

Roman watched helplessly as the love of his life was driven away to the closest hospital. Her life hung on the edge of a knife and there was nothing he could do to help her. He never felt as helpless as he did in that very moment. Out of nowhere, he felt two hands touch his shoulders as a sign of comfort. Dean's eyes held the guilt and sorrow behind the blue irises.

"I'm so sorry..." He apologized.

"This isn't your fault, so don't blame yourself. She chose to go out here alone. If anything, this is my fault." Roman replied.

"No, it's no one's fault but mine." AJ's voice stated from behind them.

Tears trickled down Roman's dark face; but he quickly wiped them away to face the girl that lured Rydia out in the first place. He didn't want anyone to see his tears even though he knew they'd understand why he would shed them. Seth's harsh glare was a warning for her to keep the distance she currently held.

AJ's eyes were wet with tears and puffy with the redness of guilt. She hated herself for allowing such a horrible thing to transpire. Nick did an excellent job in making her believe that it really was meant to scare her. Everything he said and did was all a lie and Rydia paid the price for her naive ability to see through him.

"What's happened?" Roman asked through clenched teeth, trying desperately to hold back his anger.

"I swear...I was told it was only supposed to scare her into quitting." AJ pleaded realizing that Roman was no longer his usual calm self.

"I'm going to ask one more time...what...the...hell...happened?"

He reached out and took a firm grip onto her arm. She flinched a little, wondering if he'd actually hit her. Her mind wandered to a hundred different things, trying to come up with the best answer to give the grieving man before her; but nothing came to mind except jumbled mess.

"I'll tell you everything I know; but here isn't the best place." AJ replied.

"She's right. It's not. Police want statements from all of you." Stephanie's voice boomed within the empty garage.

The group stared at the owner for a brief moment before making their way back inside the building. They were all placed inside a fairly large conference room. Nothing could settle Roman's mind. Seeing all the blood on the ground and watching Rydia's lifeless body being lifted into the ambulance was the last thing he wanted to see. In his darkest moments over the last few months, she had been the light to guide him and now there was a possibility that he'd loose her forever.

A police officer stood at the doorway speaking quietly to the principal owner of the company. The more Roman thought the angrier he became. He held onto the arms of the chair so tightly Seth was beginning to think they'd break off.

The sense of not knowing what was going on with Rydia was making all of them sick with worry and have thoughts of the worst possible scenarios. Stephanie stepped away leaving the officer with the group; but not before giving them all a look of sympathy.

"So does anyone want to tell me what happened?" The officer asked with a pen and pad ready to write down all details that were given.

"My girlfriend was shot plan and simple; so instead of interrogating us why don't you arrest the man that fucking did it." Roman yelled swiftly bolting out of his chair and throwing it against the wall.

"Roman, please...try and calm down. I know this is hard on you. It's hard on all of us..." Seth urged placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

He shrugged it off and turned toward one of his best friend. The anger had become too hard for him to control and every little thing he felt was coming out all at once. "This coming from the friend that kissed her on live TV when you knew something wasn't right about the match."

Seth knew that he'd have to face him eventually about what happened. Sadly, he never thought it would be under the circumstances they were all placed in. He opened his mouth to apologize to him; but he never got a word out. Roman's fist connected with his jaw, knocking Seth down to a knee. Blood rolled down from the corner of his mouth.

The officer came up behind Roman, taking hold of his arms. Cuffs were securely places around his wrists, bounding him against his will; but knew that he had gone too far with his emotions. Seth stood back up and wiped the blood away from his mouth.

"Why are you arresting him?" AJ asked in blatant cries of desperation.

"Maybe a night in jail will calm him down." He replied.

"His girlfriend was just shot and we don't even know if she will live; he has every right to be this upset."

The officer looked over at Seth, who had just been punched in face by his best friend. Seth couldn't hold anything against him. He had every right to be upset with him. "I press no charged against him. I deserved that." Seth stated watching the man take in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

He unlocked the cuffs and released Roman's arms. Roman took one look at the cop before walking out of the room. AJ let out a relieved breath of air. "I'm assuming you all know who shot her?" He asked.

"Nick Grayson...his name...is...Nick Grayson." AJ answered before anyone else had a chance to.

Dean couldn't believe how helpful the crazy woman was being; but he assumed it was for a reason other than the goodness of her own heart. That's the way she was and nothing would ever change her.

Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, she turned her attention towards the others in the room. She hoped that they believed that she was innocent in the entire matter; but judging by their expressions, they remained skeptical. Although she couldn't really blame them at all. After all, who would trust someone who was connected to the man who tried to kill someone?

**The Hospital**

Mia ran alongside the bed as nurses and doctors rushed Rydia into emergency surgery. The only thing she could do was cry and pray that god wouldn't call her sister home. Once the doors were shut in front of her, she collapsed into the chair nearest to her. Out of the corner of her eye, cops caught her attention.

"Mia Chandler?" The woman asked softly but it also held a stern tone to it as well.

"Yes..." She replied choking on the small word.

"We've come to ask you a couple questions about what happened to your sister."

The young officer was joined by an older man with a tag of Lieutenant. It was then that she realized the seriousness of the situation; but she honestly didn't know what they could ask her that they didn't already know. "What kind of questions?" She asked trying to be as helpful as possible so they can track down Nick and make him pay for his crimes.

"We want to hear your side of the story. We understand that you were kidnapped inside the arena." The woman stated.

"That's correct. Nick took me hostage and stuck me in the back of his vehicle until my sister arrived alone."

"When did he fire the shot at your sister?" The Lieutenant asked.

"After she told me to go back inside. She wanted to face him alone. The second I turned back to look at her, he pulled the trigger."

Another wave of tears started to trickle down her face. She had no idea if Rydia was going to live or not. The bullet may not have stuck her in the heart; but it was close enough and she had lost a lot of blood within minutes. There was still remains of it on her clothing. The woman officer handed her a handful of tissues and a cup of coffee to help calm her down. "Would you know a place we can find him?"

"No; but AJ might. She was involved with him when this happened. Bray Wyatt might as well...he was his informant for a while. I don't know if he still is."

"Thank you. We will do our best to take him in."

Mia couldn't form any more words. She simply nodded her head and sat back down in the chair to await for news about Rydia's condition. A frantic cry of her name alerted her to look up and figure out where it was coming from. Skye was running down the hall, her fire red and black hair flowing behind her like a river of crimson and onyx.

"Skye..."

"What the hell happened? Seth was very evasive about the details."

"He shot her. It's pretty bad...I...I don't know if... she's going to make it..."

Skye pulled her into her arms, holding her tightly and as comforting as possible. She was trying desperately not to cry herself. She wanted to be the strong one for everyone; but underneath her hard exterior was a grieving woman in fear of loosing her best friend. She even had forgotten about the kiss between her and Seth on live TV, because this was minor compared to someones life hanging on by a thread.

They remained quiet holding each others hand, counting the time away inside their minds. After hours in surgery the doctor walked out of the room, rubbing sanitizer into his hands. Skye gently elbowed Mia to wake her up and they both stood up awaiting for his news.

"Well whoever applied pressure to the wound saved her life. If they hadn't, she would have bled out for sure. The good news is she will heal completely. The bad news is I don't know what damage it caused to her brain. She will go for extensive cat scans and MRI's in the morning."

"Is she awake now?" Mia asked hopeful.

"No; but you can see her. The nurse will escort you to her room."

"Thank you doctor."

A relieved breath of air escaped Skye's mouth and gave the younger sister a smile. Following the nurse to the private room Rydia was now occupying, both women had time to think about what to do next. Her phone vibrated against her leg, jolting her back to reality. Seth had text messaged her wondering if there was any new news._** "She will heal completely; but they don't know if there was any damage to her brain. They will be doing cat scans and MRI's in the morning."**_ She messaged back and hit the send button.

"Oh my god...Rydia..." Mia whispered taking a look at her older sister lying motionless in the bed.

"She's so pale...why is she so pale?" Skye asked.

"She lost a lot of blood. Don't worry her color will return soon." The nurse informed with a smile.

The girls sat down in chairs on both sides of the bed. Rydia's breathing was soft and shallow; but her heartbeat was steady and healthy. Mia hesitantly reached out to take hold of Rydia's hand. "I'm so sorry. I should have been more careful...in more ways than one." She stated referring to her negligence in becoming pregnant.

**Outside the Room**

Bray Wyatt stood at the window watching closely. He couldn't bear to see Rydia in such a state. She was the angel he had been searching for his entire life. He mentally vowed that he would make Nick pay for his treachery. Her death was not what he had signed up for when he recruited his assistance months ago. Just like AJ Lee, he was used in pretty much the same manner.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Roman's voice boomed from behind him.

"Watching over your angel." Bray replied.

"If you were watching over her, then where the hell were you when the bastard shot her?"

He turned silent at the question. There was no answer good enough for Roman and he knew it. Rydia was the love of his life and he let her almost die by the same crazed psychopath that attempted to kill Skye. There was no apology good enough for that. Bray turned to walk away; but was halted by Roman's grip on his arm. "Consider me a friend. I was used by him to and I don't take well to that kind of treatment. I will find out where he his staying. It will be my apology to you for allowing this to happen in the first place."

Roman was taken aback by Bray's declaration. Without another word spoken between them, Roman walked into the room that kept the sleeping beauty safe. Mia looked up and met his gaze and immediately broke down. He bent down and embraced the saddened woman. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." She cried.

"Shh...it's alright. This isn't not your fault. She knew what she was doing when she chose to go out there."

His hair slid off her shoulders as he straightened his body upright once again, sending a comforting shiver up her spine. He turned his attention to Rydia. Her beautiful blue eyes were closed and her skin was pale; but she didn't look like she was in any kind of pain, which made him feel a little better. His fingers touched her hand gently, hoping that it would spark her to wake up; but it did nothing at all.

Mia and Skye took several steps away from the couple, giving Roman some needed space. Outside the room, they watched with heavy hearts as Roman leaned in to kiss Rydia's forehead. They couldn't imagine how he was feeling; just like he couldn't imagine how they were feeling. Everything was personal for all of them.

"God, I'm so sorry Ry. I shouldn't have let you go through with it. I should have been there to keep you safe and I failed...again." Roman pleaded bowing his head into his hands.

It broke Mia's heart to see him grieve with guilt the way he was when she knew that it wasn't his fault to begin with. She turned her head to see Dean and Seth approaching solemnly. The second she met Dean's gaze, she broke down into a fit of sobs. He guided her into his arms and held her. "Is she awake?" He asked.

"No...and they don't know if there was any damage to her brain yet." She replied.

"How is he holding up?" Seth asked.

"As best as any one of us..." Skye replied lacing her fingers with his.

Seth wanted to go in and see her for himself; but he figured it was best if he remained where he was. Even if it was just to keep peace within the group. Her arms around him was forever imbedded into his mind, because it was the last thing they shared before she was shot. Skye watched him out of the corner of her eye, watching his reactions to seeing Roman inside the room alone; but there was no reaction that she hadn't seen before from any of them. He was either really good at hiding his feelings for Rydia or there weren't any to be seen. She guessed that only time would tell her what the answer was.

"Come on, let's all get some rest. After all that's happened today, I could sure use some sleep." Dean suggested.

"Did anyone talk to AJ and get information out of her?" Mia asked.

"She said she'd come and tell us everything she knew in the morning." Seth replied.

"So tomorrow is a big day...for all of us..." Skye mumbled hoping that no one would hear the uncertainty in her voice.


	33. Chapter 33

**Author Note: Thanks goes to .halil for becoming a follower to this story. Thanks also goes to calwitch, Slytherin Studios, THE Kid Hardy, DeeMarie426, LindaPipeBomb and tatyasdias for the awesome reviews. I never would have imagined seeing 151 reviews in a single story; but its amazing to see it. I love all of you readers and this story wouldn't be what it is without all of you; so thank you!**

"_**Don't let me go**_

_**Hold me in your beating heart**_

_**I won't let go**_

_**Forever is not enough**_

_**Let me lay my head down on the shadow by your side**_

_**Don't let me go**_

_**Hold me in your beating heart"**_

_**'Don't Let Me Go' by: RAIGN**_

Chapter 33: Nothing But Guilt

Mia tossed and turned, her mind kept going back to the scene of her sister being shot. She relived the moment over and over again like a song on repeat. She sprung up in bed panting for breath. Dean stirred awake next to her. He reached over and gently touched her arm. "Mia..."He whispered trying to be there for her as best he could. He knew that she was struggling with everything that happened at the arena.

"I can't stop thinking about it." She replied staring at the wall ahead of them.

"I can't imagine going through what you did...being the one to see her get shot, I mean..."

"That isn't even the worst part. The worst part is the not knowing whether or not she'd make it. He really did have the intention of killing her. I wanted to believe that he wouldn't go through with what he said. Tonight just proved that he was serious."

Dean reached out and cupped the side of her face, softly pulling at her to look directly at him. Her puffy blue eyes met his hesitantly. She was trying to avoid looking anyone in the eyes. The guilt of the incident was beyond words and it turned her stomach into knots just thinking about it. "Mia, I know you think that it's your fault it happened; but you need to know that it wasn't. She chose to go out there alone. All of us tried to go with her."

"I know. It doesn't ease the pain any. She's lying in a hospital bed with a bullet wound because I was careless with everything."

She looked down at her stomach and placed a comforting hand over her navel. Dean realized what she meant. The pregnancy was the opening Nick needed to lure Rydia out alone. He knew that she would never let anything happen to her unborn niece or nephew, because family meant the world to her. His hand covered Mia's and they remained silent for a moment. "Don't regret this...please..." He pleaded.

Mia didn't say anything for a few seconds and to Dean it felt longer than it really was. He was worried that Mia was now regretting her relationship with him and the baby they had created. Her hand snaked out from his hold and moved up with caress his cheek, run through his hair and rest against his bare chest. "I regret nothing...you are my everything. My only regret is fighting you for so long." She replied and leaned in to kiss his lips.

**At The Hospital**

Roman had fallen asleep in the chair next to Rydia's bed. Her eyes remained closed; but her heart continued to beat healthy and strong. Bray Wyatt stood on the opposite side of the best watching her breathe. His hand inched slowly to move a stray hair out of her eyes. The second he touched her skin, he jolted back like it had burned him.

"I promise that he will pay for what he did to you..." He whispered before turning away from her in fear of being caught by her sleeping boyfriend across the room.

Cautiously, he walked out of the room. He turned back only once to see if she had woken up; but there was no such luck. Bray continued to sneak out the hospital unnoticed by anyone. The last thing he wanted was to be caught by anyone. "What are you doing, Bray? I thought you'd be happy to see her in such a state." Nick's voice echoed behind him in the quiet parking lot.

"Then you thought wrong. Her death was something I didn't sign up for. You said that you wanted to torment her a little. Killing her was not in the description."

"Things change. I won't be satisfied until she's gone for good."

Bray clenched his hands into fists at his side. He tried to remain as calm as possible and not kill him himself. "She's lying in that bed unconscious for god knows how long. Isn't that enough?" AJ's voice interrupted. Her arms were crossed over her chest as her heels clicked against the pavement.

"Sweet little AJ..." Nick cooed.

"Don't call me that! You used me, you sick son-of-a-bitch." She yelled.

Nick's smile returned when he heard the hurt behind her words. He wanted nothing more than to run his hands all over her small frame, caress her small breasts, and lick every inch of skin on her body. She was repulsed by his lust filled stare in her direction. "You can still join me. I'd be happy to have you by my side." Nick offered.

"You're crazy if you think I'd go with you. It's a matter of time before the police find you and take you in."

All she got in reply was a laugh. He walked away leaving the two alone in the empty parking lot. Bray watched her closely, wondering why she was even there to begin with. Was she there to see Rydia? Or was she there to finish where Nick left off? He had questions for her; but before he could ask them, she walked away towards the entrance of the hospital.

Roman awoke to see a nurse fixing the bedding around Rydia. She checked her vitals and wrote them down on the chart. "Someone will be in to take her for her MRI shortly." She stated before walking out of the room. He turned his attention back to his sleeping girlfriend. His fingers twined through hers, despite not feeling her grip around his hand. "You need to wake up. I need you. I need to hear your voice." He pleaded.

"Any changes?" Skye asked walking into the room.

"No, they will be taking her for an MRI soon."

Skye sat down in another empty chair, sitting her bag underneath. Roman glanced in her direction to see that most of her wounds were completely healed without much scarring. He also wondered what she was thinking about. There was clearly a lot on her mind, that much he could see just by looking into her eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Uhh...yeah...there is just a lot going on inside my head is all. It's nothing to worry about."

**The Hotel**

Mia and Dean quickly packed their things up, waiting for AJ to show up with the information she promised to share about Nick. Mia was quiet, not saying much to him. She spent most of her time in and out of the bathroom with morning sickness. Dean tried not to push her to talk. He didn't want to break her fragile mind.

"Do you think she's actually going to show?" Mia asked.

"She said she'd be here at 9." Dean replied looking at his phone seeing the minute change.

Mia let out a sigh, dropping to the edge of the bed. Her hand ran through her silky hair. A soft knock alerted her. Dean opened the door to see AJ standing there with a scared look upon her face. "I don't have much time." She stated walking into the room.

"What's wrong?" Mia asked understanding her frightened tone of voice.

"I'll tell you what I know; but after that you are on your own. I'm taking time off to try and rekindle my relationship with Phil."

"I understand..."

AJ turned and sat down on the bed next to Mia. Her hands trembled with fear. It was the same fear that everyone felt. Dean closed the distance, standing behind Mia. His hand touched her shoulder protectively. "Nick sought me out in a night club two weeks ago. He knew that I was unhappy with the way the company was treating me when it came to Rydia. He said that he could help me get her out of the company for good." AJ explained.

"How was that?" Dean asked.

"He came up with a plan that would scare her enough to quit; but when I heard that you were pregnant things changed. He wanted to use it instead of the original plan. He thought threatening to kill you would be the best way to get her to quit...and I believed him."

Mia sniffled back a sob. She couldn't help but think about Rydia and how everything played out exactly how Nick wanted, except for the fact that he didn't actually kill her. "I did know that he was planning to take you hostage; but he wasn't supposed to hurt you in anyway. I never thought he'd do what he did."

"Do you know where he's been staying?" Mia asked.

"Any time he was with me, it was always in hotel rooms; but I was pretty sure that he had somewhere else that I didn't know about. Last night, he was at the hospital to corner Bray. I just happened to be there to."

"What did he say?" Dean asked.

"He was taunting Bray with his infatuation of Rydia. That's what Nick does...he taunts to get inside your head. That's his weapon and if you can counter it...you can beat him."

AJ stood up and started for the door. The couple looked at each other, wondering why she was so scared to be leaving in such a hurry. Her actions didn't make sense; but they had their own problems to deal with for the time being. Mia hoped that AJ would get back what she needs and prayed that it would last.

**The Hospital**

Rydia was returned to her room, alerting Roman and Skye to her presence. The nurse quickly walked out of the room before they could ask questions about the tests. The disappointment returned when their hopes of her eyes being open was crushed right before their own eyes. It had been over twenty-four hours and she still hadn't woken up. The concern was growing by the minute within all of them.

"Hey guys, any changes?" Mia asked walking in with Dean by her side.

"No, she just came back from the tests. We are waiting for the results." Roman replied.

"How did it go with AJ this morning?" Skye asked.

"She didn't really tell us anything useful. Nick kept everything from her." Dean answered.

Roman wasn't really listening to their conversation. His mind was with Rydia. He mentally begged for her to wake up and smile at him. He needed the reassurance that she was okay and that she wouldn't leave him. He wanted to relive every memory they shared together. There were so many new memories he wanted to create with her; but the longer she remained unconscious, the harder it would be to fulfill those wanted new memories.

"Okay, who is Mia Chandler?" The Doctor asked walking into the room.

"I am." Mia stated standing up from the chair.

"Can I talk to you outside, please?"

Her head turned to see Roman's heartbroken stare as she walked towards to door. She knew that immediate family only had the privileges to hear results from tests. In the hall with the door closed, the doctor looked down at the papers on the clipboard. "All the tests came back with no damage to her brain." He stated.

"Oh thank god..." Mia breathed out in relief.

Knowing that there was no brain damage to her sister was the best news she had heard in days; but there was a question she needed to have answered. They all did. "How come she hasn't woken up yet?" She asked hoping that he'd have an answer for her.

"I honestly don't know. Maybe there is something she doesn't want to face and this is her mind's way of dealing with it. We are going to consider her condition as a coma unless things change within the next twelve hours."

His words made sense to her in a way. Rydia probably didn't want to face the possibility of Nick being there when she woke up to finish the job. She wished that she could dive into her sister's mind to tell her that everything would be okay and come back to all of them. She didn't agree with the term coma. It was all just too much to think about. The doctor placed a hand on her shoulder before walking away.

She slowly walked back into the room knowing everyone inside would swarm her for answers. Skye perked from her hands and stared at her. Roman straightened up in his chair awaiting for what the news held. Dean came to her side, twining his fingers with hers. Something didn't add up with the entire situation and noticing that Seth was not present also came as odd to him consider how his feelings for Rydia have grown over the last few weeks.

"There is no brain damage at all." Mia announced.

"That's great!" Skye replied with hope in her voice.

"Then why hasn't she woken up?" Roman asked solemnly.

Mia didn't want to answer him. She didn't want to have to say the word out loud for all of them to hear. Her lip curled into her mouth so her teeth could bit it. It was her habit for when she was nervous about something. Dean recognized it immediately. He saw the glassy look in her eyes with pending tears. "Mia...come on...tell us what's going on with her." Skye pleaded.

"The doctor thinks the reason she hasn't woken up is because she doesn't want to face reality and it's her mind's way of dealing. They are considering her condition to be a coma unless things change."

No one said a word. There were no words to say. Roman's fear was becoming a reality and the person he could blame for everything was Nick Grayson. He turned away from Mia and took hold of Rydia's hand. "You can't leave us like this, Ry...please we need you..." Skye cried as she fell back into her chair.

"Where the hell is Seth?" Dean asked looking at Skye.

"I have no idea. We really haven't spoken much since yesterday."

**The Hotel**

Seth continued to stare at his laptop screen. He had been up all night looking for information about Nick Grayson that could be helpful. There was so much information about his family; but nothing relevant about Nick himself. He figured his parents payed people off to keep what they knew about their son a secret.

His phone lit up with an indication of a text message. He leaned back against the chair's head rest and opened the message only to lunge forward in horror. _**"No brain damage; but DR. thinks she won't wake up because she doesn't want to face reality and it's her mind's way of dealing. They are classifying it as a coma. Just thought you should know since you didn't bother to show up. SKYE"**_

"Rydia..." He whispered.

The anger boiling inside him was escalating. He ran his hands through his hair and slapping himself in the face, trying to prevent himself from completely snapping on the next thing or person that walked in the door. It was time that he did something to help someone other than himself. Looking back at the screen of Nick's family company, he took hold of his phone and began to dial the number listed in the 'contact us' section of the website.

"Grayson and Noel Industries how can I help you?" A woman answered with a cheerful voice.


	34. Chapter 34

**Author Note: Thanks goes to Dreams of Florence and cybertrooper for becoming followers of this story. Thanks also goes to THE Kid Hardy, LindaPipeBomb, Slytherin Studios, Leasha Orton and DeeMarie426 for the reviews. I really hope I don't turn any of my readers away with the ideas I have in mind for the upcoming chapters. I decided not to split the story up into a trilogy. It's just going to be a pretty long story.**

"_**It's everything you wanted, it's everything you don't**_

_**It's one door swinging open and one door swinging closed**_

_**Some prayers find an answer**_

_**Some prayers never know**_

_**We're holding on and letting go"**_

_**'Holding On and Letting Go' by: Ross Copperman**_

Chapter 34: Holding On and Letting Go

**Six Months Later**

Seth made his way to the steps of Grayson and Noel Industries building in the heart of Dallas, Texas. He was bound and determined to get information about Nick that he wanted to help put him away forever. The only problem was getting someone to actually talk about him. After several phone calls and using quite a bit of his money, he finally got a meeting with Nick Grayson's father; but it took six months to achieve even that.

While he waited to get the meeting, Seth continued to research online and was heavily involved with the police's search for Nick. He had a good friend on the force and they talked over coffee weekly when Seth wasn't on the road with the WWE.

Rydia's condition never changed and it fueled his need for answers even more. Unfortunately, six months later and he had nothing to show for it. He couldn't deny that his relationship with Skye suffered tremendously since his obsession started. It was to the point where she had to walk away. Even work was beginning to become annoying; but he continued on as a singles competitor, now that the company decided to split the group up onscreen.

"May I help you sir?" The secretary asked with a sweet smile.

"Yeah, I have a meeting with Ronald Grayson at 10:30." Seth replied.

"Okay, hold on a moment and I will let him know you are here."

The young woman picked up the phone next to her and pushed a few buttons. She told the person on the other line that the boss's meeting personal was waiting in the lobby. They seemed to continue on to talk about other things other than the subject at hand. It left Seth time to think, which wasn't part of the plan.

_**One Month Ago**_

"_What are you doing? Can you please stop obsessing about finding Nick." Skye said coming into the room to see Seth staring at his laptop screen._

"_I'm not obsessing. He needs to be found and the police aren't going a damn thing to find the bastard." He replied._

_ Skye let out a sigh. She knew that he was frustrated with all the unknowns. Rydia's condition was one of those unknowns. Nobody knew what to do about it and the longer she remained in the coma the more confusing it got._

"_Seth...I think we all need to come to terms with facts."_

_ He looked up from his computer screen and the hundreds of papers scattered around it. His girlfriend's facial expression told him a story of what she was really thinking. "And what facts would those be, Skye?" He asked not really knowing if he wanted to hear her answer._

"_She's not going to wake up. She's been asleep for months and nothing has changed. I think we all need to just move on with our lives." She replied._

"_So you're giving up on your best friend?"_

_ Skye lowered her head in shame. He was calling her out. Accusing her. She knew that if she told him the truth it would crush him and there wouldn't be anything left of their relationship to salvage; but after seeing him drown himself in research and spend money on trying to get a meeting with Nick's father, she realized that Seth cared more about Rydia than he did about her._

"_I've just thought that if she was going to wake up, she would have done so by now. The reality is that she's going to and I've done my mourning of her."_

"_I'm sorry you feel that way. I can guarantee that if the roles were reversed she wouldn't give up on you."_

_ His words stung and they hurt more than she was willing to admit; but the sad truth was, he was right. Rydia was completely selfless and would never give up on someone even if the reality was right in front of her. She walked the small distance to close the gap between them. He looked up at her just as she was sitting down next to him._

"_Seth...I need to move on from all of this. I believe that she's gone and I'm sorry that you can't see that yet. Maybe it's best if we aren't together to."_

"_Skye..." He whispered not believing that she was once again leaving him._

"_I love you...and I probably always will; but I can't be second best in your life."_

_ Seth cupped the side of her face with his palm. Leaning in, he kissed her lips. Deep down, he knew that this was the end of their relationship for good. He couldn't expect her to be patient when she had other plans for her life. The only thing he could do was be a friend and let her go free. "You will always hold a place in my heart." He whispered against her still parted lips._

"_Goodbye..."_

**Grayson and Noel Industries**

Remembering Skye made his heart ache; but he continued to push through the pain. He had to remember that he was doing all of this for Rydia and for the hope that she'd wake up. His eyes traveled down to his phone. He opened his photos and found his favorite picture of himself and Rydia the night she debuted on Raw. Her smile could brighten anyone's day and he missed her more than words could say.

"Sir, I will escort you to the conference room now." The young woman stated interrupting his thoughts.

Seth followed the secretary down the hall and into an elevator. She pushed the number ten button indicating the meeting would take place on the tenth floor of the multimillion dollar corporation.

The ride was spent in silence. He was going over what he would say to the man over and over again, hoping that he would get some answers or some help of some kind.

"This way."

The long hallway was covered by paintings from various artists around the world and each one had information underneath the actual painting itself. After walking a little longer, they entered a large room with a long table in the center with over a dozen chairs around it. At the end of the table sat a man with graying hair, high cheek bones and bright blue eyes. He wore a gray business suit that probably cost him thousands of dollars.

"Mr. Grayson, Mr. Rollins... your 10:30 meeting."

"Thank you Patricia."

Ronald stood up and shook Seth's hand before sitting back down. Seth took a seat several chairs away from him. He didn't know how the man could live with himself knowing that his son was a killer and a psychopath that has tormented the same woman for most of the year. "So Seth, what can I do for you?"

"Does the name Rydia Chandler ring a bell?" Seth asked.

The older man's eyes instantly widened. There was no mistaking the reaction. He knew of her without actually saying a word. The only thing he could hope for was that man was nothing like his son.

"What is this really about?" Ronald asked.

"Your son put her in a coma. I want to know where he is so he can finally pay for his crimes including killing her father."

"She's in a coma..."

"Yeah, has been for six months. He shot her and has been in a coma ever since."

Ronald looked down at the papers on the table in front of him. He look troubled as if he didn't know that Rydia had been in a coma for half a year. It was his only chance to redeem on his sympathy. Seth just hoped that the sympathy was real.

"You didn't know, did you?" Seth asked.

"No...I haven't seen my son for months. He shot her?"

"Yeah right in front of her pregnant sister."

The old man shook his head in disbelief. He didn't want to believe that Nick was capable of such things; but he also knew that he didn't take the break-up well. His attitude and actions were questionable at best. It was also obvious that the man in front of him cared deeply for Rydia and he honestly didn't blame him. He also liked her. Liked her enough to wish that Nick marry her into the family.

"I honestly don't know where Nick is. He only contacts me when he's out of money."

"Convenient...Look, I didn't come here to cause issues; but I'm doing this for her. Pretty much everyone close to her has given up on the thought of her ever waking up."

Seth knew deep down that everything he was saying was pointless. There was nothing that could help him if the man didn't even know where Nick was hiding out. He ran a hand through his hair and stood up. "Thank you for your time. I need to get back on the road." He stated and turned to walk out of the room.

"You're in love with her aren't you." Ronald accused.

Seth froze mid-step at his accusation. He had been so caught up in trying to track down his enemy for so long that he didn't even think about the possibly that he really was in love with Rydia. Skye had left him because she thought she was second best in his life. "It doesn't matter. Her boyfriend spends every waking moment missing her. My best friend is completely heartbroken without her. I just wanted to give him some closure and maybe I need it to."

"She's lucky to have both of you in her life, even if she can't live it right now."

Seth's eyes burned with tears that he refused to shed in front of anyone. He was beginning to think that he'd never see Rydia smile at him again. Leaving the room was the best thing for him in that moment, because the second he walked into the elevator he broke down. The worst feeling in the world was helplessness and that exactly what he was feeling when the warm tears trickled down his cheeks.

**Mia and Dean's Home, Pensacola Florida**

Mia's hand rested against the swell of her belly. She could feel the baby moving around within her womb and it made her smile. The only things that were keeping her sane inside her harsh reality were Dean and the baby. Rydia had been her rock. The go-to person for all her problems and now that she was still in a coma, she closed herself off from the outside world.

"Mia, your nurse it here!" Dean shouted from the downstairs entryway.

"I'll be down in a minute." She shouted back rolling off their bed onto her feet.

Dean had hired a personal nurse/midwife for Mia while they traveled. Mia wanted to be close to Dean the entire time and he figured that was the best way to keep her happy. Taking the stairs slowly, she finally came into eye view of her boyfriend and a fairly tall brunette. Her hair was short, razored at the edges to give flare. She had intense blue eyes that lit up the rest of her flawless features.

"Emilee, it's great to see you again." Mia greeted coming down the rest of the stairs.

"How are you doing?" Emilee asked quietly not really knowing what kind of answer she'd get in return.

Mia let out a sigh, lowering her head slightly; but lifted it back up straight and smiled. Over the last six months, she had to stay strong for everyone around her as the hope of Rydia waking up started to fade away even more. She had come to terms that it just maybe wasn't in the cards for her to wake up at all. "I'm doing better. I'm not going to lie, I miss my sister."

"Come on, let's sit down and listen to the baby's heartbeat."

Dean smiled as he leaned against the entryway frame. It was amazing to think about how far they have come as a couple. Mia was his everything, she ran through his veins and now they would welcome a baby into the world in early January. He wished that Roman would at least try and move on with his life; but he still refused to give up on the slim chance of Rydia waking up from the coma.

"Listen! It's a strong heartbeat." Emilee stated holding a small doppler against Mia's bare rounded belly.

Every time he heard his child's heartbeat, his own heart swelled with joy. They had decided not to find out what they were having. The surprise was welcomed, so they stuck with neutral colors when decorating the nursery. "Looks like it's around 155 today, very active little one." Emilee commented with a smile as she pulled away the device and handed Mia a cloth to wipe the gel off her skin.

"Of course he or she is. My genes are in there." Dean replied with a sincere smile that lit up Mia's eyes.

"Don't get carried away mister. My genes are in there to." Mia interrupted blowing him a kiss from the couch.

Emilee couldn't help but smile at the happy couple. It reminded her of her own past and there was no coincidence as to why Dean hired her to be his fiance's nurse. He had his own plans for his best friend, Roman Reigns and they involved her. Considering the past she had with Roman to begin with, Dean had to be literately insane to think that she could help in any way. Their relationship was years ago and it ended mutually. She honestly didn't know what she could do to help Roman move on.

"So have you guys thought of any names yet?" She asked trying not to think about Roman and the pain he must be feeling.

"We've talked a little about them. Dean's pretty picky about them, unfortunately."

"Oh come on, you are picky to!"

Mia opened her mouth to return with a witty response until they heard the doorbell ring. Emilee giggled at the humor of it all. Dean turned to answer the door only to see Roman standing there. His bags were at his feet and he looked like he hadn't slept in days. "Roman, christ man get in here. You look like hell."

"Do you mind if I stay here and get some sleep?" Roman asked.

"Of course not, get your ass in here."

Roman stepped into the house, carrying his bags with him. He turned to look into the main room to see Mia on the couch with a familiar face he hadn't seen in years. "Emilee..." He whispered. She stood up and took several steps closer to him before he turned his head away. His eyes were completely bloodshot and there were heavy bags under his head from lack of sleep.

"I'm sorry, Roman..." She said with sympathy in her voice.

"She's not dead, Emilee and I wish people would stop treating her like she is." He replied walking up the stairs and out of eyesight of his best friend and ex-girlfriend.


	35. Chapter 35

**Author Note: Thanks goes to cookiepandaluv for becoming a follower to the story. Thanks also goes to Leasha Orton, Slytherin Studios, LindaPipeBomb, cybertrooper, calwitch and DeeMarie426 for the awesome reviews. I love hearing all your thoughts about what's going to happen next. I'm glad to see that all of you still enjoy reading this story and I hope to continue drawing all of you into the story further. There is a small section of lyrics towards the end of the chapter from 'Don't stop Believin' by Journey.**

"_**This world is never enough**_

_**And I'm not giving up**_

_**My faith in love is like blood**_

_**I'd spill it freely for some**_

_**My faith in love is like blood**_

_**It flows in everyone**_

_**Don't stop to look at the clock**_

_**Forever may not be long enough"**_

_**'Forever May Not Be Long Enough' by: Live**_

Chapter 35: Resolve and Awoken

_Roman stood within what seemed like an endless void of nothing but hazy gray. He looked around, turning his head side to side hoping to see some kind of light. The longer he walked the more frustrated he became in trying to get out of the place._

"_Roman..." A voice called._

_ It was a voice he knew all too well. The voice he had been longing to hear for so long. Rydia's voice. He wanted to scream out to her, let her know where he was; but the words never came out, because within seconds she was standing in front of him._

_ She was clothed in a long white dress with small thin straps on her shoulders and straps crossed against her back. Her hair lay down in curled ringlets over her chest. The blue of her eyes radiated with life and it brought passion to her smile._

"_Rydia..." Roman whispered choking on his own words so that her name was the only thing uttered._

"_Hey you, miss me?" She asked._

_ He reached out to her, trying to take her hand; but his hand went straight through her image. He didn't want to believe that she was just a figment of his imagination. "You need to come back to me..." He pleaded._

"_I'm here now."_

"_I can't touch you. I can't kiss you. I can't make love to you; but the one thing I want most of all... is to hold you and tell you how much I love you."_

_ Rydia smiled making him think that she understood his pleas. Without another word, she faded away, leaving him alone in the void. He screamed out of frustration and before he knew it the world of nothing was gone._

Roman sat straight up in bed breathing heavily with sweat rolling down his cheeks, dripping onto his clenched hands. He turned to look at the clock on his phone. It was only 2:30 in the morning, not late enough to just stay awake for the rest of the day; but he did need some fresh air. He tossed the covers off his sweaty body and walked out of the room quietly, trying to be careful not to wake the other people in the house.

He padded his bare feet softly down the stairs and shifted into the main room. He headed straight for the backyard deck. Stopping mid-step, he could see Mia's long hair blowing across her back in the breeze.

Mia was known for her late night visits to the porch when her hormones were out of control. He figured that he'd give her some company knowing that she probably wouldn't go back inside to leave him alone. His fingers curled under the door and slid it open. She swiftly turned her head around to see who was behind her.

"Roman, what's wrong? You look pale." She commented with concern laced in her voice.

"I had a dream about Rydia. I needed some fresh air." He replied actually telling her the truth for once instead of hiding it.

She studied his face for a moment before really understanding why he was outside. He didn't want to admit that just maybe Rydia would never wake up. She didn't want to give up on her either; but the days continued to pass by with no change in her condition. "So why did Dean bring Emilee here?" He asked softly as he came to the stand beside her.

"She's my nurse that travels with us; but I think it was meant to help you move on from Rydia."

"That will never happen. I'd rather spend the rest of my life alone than to move on away from her."

Mia couldn't help but smile when he spoke those words. Roman had been the perfect man for her sister and she would have loved him to be the brother-in-law she always wanted to have. She reached out and placed her hand on top of his. "She loved you like no other. You were always on her mind from the time she met you."

"I'm not giving up on her, Mia. I never will..."

He turned and walked back inside. Emilee stood within the living room with her arms hung loosely at her sides. Roman met her gaze for only a brief moment before continuing on towards the stairs that led back to the guest room he was occupying. "Roman, wait." She called out after him.

"I have nothing to say to you." He replied.

"I know our past has been less than stellar; but I still would like to be a friend to you. It looks like you could use all the friends you can get right now."

"There isn't anything you can say to me that will help ease this pain."

Emilee lowered her head. She knew that he was right. There really wasn't anything she could tell him that would help ease the emotional pain he was feeling everyday that Rydia was still in the coma. She only wished that he would smile genuinely instead of always faking it when he was at work. "I know that I can't say anything that will help; but why not let me be there for you when you need someone to talk to."

Roman ignored her offer and continued on towards the staircase. Emilee stood alone in the living room searching her thoughts of what she could do to get him to talk to her more than five minutes.

**Hospital, Dallas Texas**

A nurse walked into Rydia's room for annual vitals. She had been there every step of the way since her transfer to the facility. Her fingertips touched her prone hand, feeling for her pulse around her wrist. Nothing made sense about the entire situation. Rydia's vitals were as healthy as could be. There was no reason for be in such a state.

"Such a shame. A pretty woman like you to be asleep for so long. It doesn't seem fair. I wish fairy tales were real and prince charming would kiss you awake." She commented before walking out of the room.

Rydia's eyes moved side to side quickly under her closed lids. Her fingers twitched against the soft sheet covering her body. Inside her mind, she could see blurred images of peoples faces and fragments of memories that were obvious her own; but she couldn't seem to place them. There were so many people's voices inside her head and it was all so confusing to the point that she could just scream.

Her eyes opened wide and she sprung up with a gasp of air. Her vision was still slight blurry; but she recognized the place she was in as a hospital. Lifting her hands up to watch them tremble. She shifted her legs around to the edge of the bed. Her legs barely could hold her weight; but she pushed through to stand up and walk on her own. Another fragment of a memory rushed through her mind, blinding her with it's passion.

_She stood inside a wrestling ring with tears rolling down her cheeks. It seemed like she had lost the match for a personal reason. A man rolled into the ring to comfort her. He had blonde-black hair and dark chocolate eyes. He wore black combat style clothing. She never flinched when he cupped the back of her head, bringing her lips to his._

"Seth..." She whispered remembering his name.

Rydia's vision was getting clearer by the minute and her strength was quickly coming back to her. It was time for her find out exactly what happened to her and why she was even there in the first place. There were so many things she didn't remember and there were some she did. It was all too much for her to grasp all at once, so she took the opportunity to walk out of the room. Her legs carried her outside to an outside courtyard.

_She stood on a stage with another woman with black and red hair. A microphone was inside her hand. She lifted it to her lips and allowed her voice expel out to the people around. Deep down she felt like the song was meant for someone in particular; but not from her own feelings. It was coming from someone else. _

"Skye..." She stated remembering the woman's name in the memory.

More memories continued to flow into her mind like water in a river. Tears rolled down her cheeks when her past came crashing right back down upon her. An image of her father in a casket was the last thing she wanted to remember; but also the fact that she knew who had killed him was even worse to remember.

Seth exited the elevator to the floor when the coma patients were being treated. He was carrying a bouquet of flowers to brighten Rydia's room up a little since her smile couldn't so the job. The nurse's station was immediately to the left of the elevator. They waved at him, knowing him on a first name basis.

"It's been a while, Seth. Work giving you problems again?"

"No, just been doing some personal things." He replied.

"Good for you. You need to do other things other than sit at her bedside for hours on end."

He gave them a half-smile and continued on towards her room. The second he stepped foot inside, his hand let go of the flowers onto the floor. He couldn't believe his eyes. Her bed was completely empty and without a single sign of her. "Where the hell is she?" He yelled storming up the station once more.

"What do you mean?" Rydia's personal nurse asked.

"She isn't in her room. Did you move her?" He asked again.

"No and I was just in two hours ago."

Seth followed the nurse back to the room and sure enough it was still empty. His heart was racing with the thought of her actually being awake and walking around somewhere within the hospital. "We have a code white. Patient 4435 is not in her room. She is Caucasian, with dark brown hair and blue eyes. Her name is Rydia Chandler; but she may not remember her own name." The head nurse announced over the loud speaker for the entire hospital to hear.

With no thought at all, Seth left the station to search for Rydia on his own. Unfortunately, he had no idea where to even look for her. He figured he'd just start showing people her picture and pray that someone had seen her.

Rydia stood against the railing over-looking a pond with koi fish swimming around, dodging large lilly pads. The sounds of the trickling water was soothing to her agitated mind. She wanted the flow of memories to stop for a little while; but no matter how many times she pleaded for them to go away, they wouldn't leave her be. To top it all off, lyrics to songs she couldn't remember the name of inched their way to her tongue just waiting to be sung.

"Just a small town girl

Livin' in a lonely world

She took the midnight train goin' anywhere

Just a city boy

Born and raised in South Detroit

He took the midnight train goin' anywhere" She sung without knowing what the song really was; but the words continued to flow as if she had sung it a hundred times.

"It looks like you haven't lost that beautiful singing voice." Someone stated from behind her.

She turned around to look at the owner of the voice. Recognition was immediate. Seth stared at her like he hadn't seen her in such a long time. It never occurred to her that maybe he hadn't. He could tell that she was hesitant to believe that he knew her. One of his worst fears were that she couldn't remember him at all. "Do you remember me?" He asked softly.

"Yeah, I have some memories of you. They keep coming back every so often. How long have I been asleep?"

"Rydia..."

"How long!" She yelled causing people to look in their direction.

"Six months."

His answer was not what she wanted to hear. She had missed half a year and she didn't even have all of her memories of her life before waking up. Seth reached out to touch her arm gently, steadying her from falling to her knees. Rydia looked up into his eyes, searching for answers to the missing parts of her life. Was he the one in her blurred images? She knew there was someone close to her heart; but she had no idea who that was. Was it the man before her or was it someone else?

"Seth...why...why can't I remember a lot of things?" She asked trying not to cry in front of him.

"I'm sure it will take some time to remember everything. You've been in a coma for half a year."

Frustration was settling in and he could tell that everything was just too much for her. Eventually the nurses caught up with him. They surrounded her, asking her things she probably didn't know and it was angering Seth a great deal. Her eyes were pleading with him to make them stop. "Give her same damn space, okay! She's scared to death right now and you are all in her face asking her questions that could wait." Seth interrupted wrapping a protective arm around Rydia's shaking body.

"He's right. Let's get you inside and cleaned up. Maybe you'll feel more comfortable after a warm bath or shower." Rydia's personal nurse offered.

Seth couldn't believe that she was actually awake after six months of praying. He needed to tell the others, especially to Skye. His fingers tapped against the screen of his phone, typing a message that he could send to everyone all at one time. He added Roman, Dean, Mia, and Skye to the recipient bar.

"SHE'S AWAKE!" Was all it said and he hit the sent button.

**End Note: So she's awake. What do you guys think will happen now that she's awake with only half of her memories? What would you like to see happen? I love hearing from all of you.**


	36. Chapter 36

**Author Note: Thanks goes to Slytherin Studios, DeeMarie426, JohnsAngel22, calwitch, LindaPipeBomb, Guest, and THE Kid Hardy for the reviews. I'm beginning to think I'm disappointing you with the current situation in the story. I promise it won't last forever and there will be a happy reunion soon enough. There are flashbacks from previous chapters in this chapter, they are her memories.**

"_**We are one, and one is all**_

_**Through self-destruction we fall**_

_**Close your eyes, to darkened skies**_

_**Our ignorant demise"**_

_**'The Tragedy of The Commons' by: Delain**_

Chapter 36: Overloaded

**The Next Day**

Rydia sat down on the edge of the hospital bed with her newly returned cellphone in hand. She wanted to remember all the important things in her life that her mind seemed to have forgotten while she was asleep. Her fingertips swiped across the screen, switching to a different photo with every movement.

"What are you going?" Seth asked softly walking into the room.

"Trying to remember the empty sections of my life." She replied.

He moved to sit down next to her, leaning over to see what she was looking at. A photo of her and Mia was displayed. He smiled, remembering exactly when it was taken. "Do you remember her?" He asked. There was a touch of hesitation was present in his voice.

"Vaguely, I know her name; but that's about it."

"That's your sister. That picture there was taken the day before Wrestlemania. She was so happy to see you. She had found out that she was pregnant a week or so before hand; but wanted to be there for you on the biggest night in your wrestling career." Seth explained.

"So I really was a wrestler..." She whispered fading off with the rest of the comment.

Seth reached into his pocket and pulled out his own phone. He wanted to show her pictures of her wrestling. All he had to do was do an online search for her televised matches and photos would come up. "Oh yeah and you were a pretty damn good one." He replied turning the phone over to show her what he meant.

Her eyes widened slightly. She looked so athletic and happy. Her fingers reached out unconsciously, trying to touch the photo with a hope that it would trigger some memories. Rydia closed her eyes, shutting out all the outside noises.

Flashes of her previous matches came back slowly in bit and pieces; but it was enough for her to get an idea of what she was like before. Different emotions consumed her all at once and she had no idea where it was coming from. Tears started to burn the corners of her eyes and without any warning, they rolled down her cheeks.

"Rydia...Rydia..." Seth called snapping her out of her trance of new memories and feelings.

"I remember this. This was my first official match on TV." She replied wiping the stray tears away.

"Yes it was..." He stated trailing off at the thought of what happened after that match.

Rydia studied Seth's facial expression after admitting to remembering the photo. He seemed lost in thought about something. It perked her curiosity in wanting to know more about the match. Did she win it? Did she get hurt? There were so many question she wanted to ask and she assumed Seth had all the answers.

A soft knock made Seth draw his attention away from her to see who was at the door. He opened the door to see Mia and Dean standing there. The swell of her pregnant belly was much larger since the last time he had seen it.

"Is she in there?" Mia asked the panic evident in her voice.

"Yeah..."

She didn't wait for any invitation before plowing her way through. The second Mia's eyes connected with Rydia, tears formed without any way of stopping them. "Oh my god...Rydia..." She whispered in soft sobs.

"Mia...?"

The pregnant woman wrapped her arms around the estranged woman sitting on the hospital bed. Rydia didn't understand all the emotions flowing through her. She remember the woman's name, not the fact that she actually was her sister.

Rydia's mind was still full of barriers just waiting to be broken down. She hoped that maybe someone new would help with that. Her arms returned the embrace, loving the warmth and comfort it was giving her.

"I missed you so much." Mia cried.

Rydia didn't know how to answer her comment; but deep down she felt a connection to her, like she could feel the anguish that was pouring out through her tears. The obvious pregnant belly was pressed against her own stomach and could feel the baby within her kick. Letting out a startled sound, Rydia pulled away.

"Sorry, you have a really active niece or nephew in there." Mia stated with a laugh.

"You don't know yet?" Seth asked.

"We didn't want to know. We wanted it to be a surprise."

Dean quietly stepped passed his friend to stand behind his fiance. Rydia enjoyed seeing the look in his eyes when he looked at Mia. There was so much love behind the gaze and it made her own heart skip a beat.

Shaking her head, she tried to remember why the feeling felt so familiar to her. All she got was blurred images and clouded emotions that just confused her even more. "Something wrong?" Seth asked taking a step closer.

"No not really, I'm just a little confused is all." She replied.

"About what?" Mia asked.

Seth lowered his head. He just now remembered that he hadn't told anyone that Rydia had lost most of her memory. Mia turned from her sister and eyed Seth harshly. "What is going on?" She asked clenching her hand against her thigh.

"Rydia can't remember a lot of things, Mia."

Mia's heart dropped as she slowly turned her head back towards her newly awakened sister. She found it hard to believe that she would have forgotten her life before the coma. It didn't seem possible to her at all. There just had to be an explanation for it. "What do you remember?" She asked in a faint whisper.

"My memories are coming back slowly; but I don't remember much about you, Seth, Dean or Skye. I do remember dad's funeral and mom pretty well." Rydia answered folding her hands across her lap.

"You didn't mention Roman at all. Do you remember him?" Dean asked.

Seth cursed his ever observant senses. He was hoping to ease her into remembering him; because there was so much to know, including Nick. He had no idea if she remembered anything at all about him.

"The name sounds familiar and just the mentioning of his names seems to spark emotions inside me; but I can't put a face to the name."

Mia bit her bottom lip, staring straight at Dean. She was silently telling him that Roman needed to know about her amnesia before he got there; but it was already too late. Roman walked into the room dressed in loose fitted jeans and a navy blue t-shirt. His long black hair was pulled back into a low ponytail.

"Rydia..." He stated before choking on the rest of his words.

Rydia stared long and hard at him, trying to force some sort of memory of the man only a few feet away. She didn't understand why her heart was beating so fast at the mere sight of him. Her head was beginning to hurt as she sucked in a harsh breathe of air.

_She stood in the middle of a parking garage facing Roman. His fearless expression startled her into wandering what had happened. "This isn't your fault, Ry. I let my emotions get the better of me. There is no one to blame but me." He stated._

"_I brought you into this mess. I didn't want anyone to get hurt because of me." Rydia replied looking down to the ground._

"_Hey, look at me."_

_ She gazed back up at him. His smile was warm and comforting; but there was something else behind it that intrigued her. "I haven't ran yet and I'm not going to, believe that." Roman said in a low voice. Her heart swelled with his determination to stay by her side._

Rydia's vision was beginning to blur as she snapped back into reality. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, falling unconscious against the pillow on the bed. Mia rushed to her side, gently shaking her. "Come on, wake up." She called holding back more tears. A nurse came into the room and pushed everyone back so she could work.

"Don't worry, she's just asleep. Something must have overloaded her brain. It's normal for coma patients to need time for their brain to adjust to new memories." The nurse explained.

"Oh thank god. I don't think I could handle her going back into a coma." Mia commented.

Roman just watched as the woman he loved so much slept. He wandered what had overloaded her mind for her to collapse the way she had. His mind kept going over the words 'new memories' over and over again. Did she not remember things? Did she have amnesia? Where did that leave him? "Are you guys hungry? I'll buy dinner." Seth offered.

"I'm staying here..." Roman interrupted.

"Okay..."

"Come on hunnie, let's get something to eat. You haven't eaten anything for hours." Dean coaxed.

Mia nodded hesitantly. She really didn't want to leave her sister's side; but she also knew that Roman was there. There was no one better to be there with her than him. She reached out and touched his shoulder to give him a little comfort in the hard situation they were all placed in once again.

Once everyone was out of the room, Roman sat down in the chair next to her bed. He wanted to kiss her lush lips just like the prince had in Sleeping Beauty. He wanted to be her knight in shinning armor and her prince charming; but he knew that he had his work cut out for him. If his suspicions were true, she probably didn't remember anything about him or their relationship and that was hard to swallow.

He watched her closely. Her eyes shifted under her lids rapidly. It was a sign of dreaming; but whether or not it was a good or bad dream was anyone's guess. All he could do was stay by her side, like he had done from the very beginning almost a year ago. Seeing her face for the first time on that plane was his chance to start over from the harsh past with Emilee.

"Roman..." Rydia murmured in her sleep.

The sound of his name coming out of her mouth made his eyes open in surprise. Her unconscious mind remember him, so why couldn't her conscious one remember him? Her hands clenched the sheet underneath her like she was in pain. Something wasn't right and he was worried about her health. He reached over and pushed the red button, signally a nurse to come into the room.

"What's wrong?"

"She seems like she's in pain..." He stated.

The nurse studied Rydia's behavior for a few seconds before realizing that she really was in pain. The actions confused her. There was no reason for her to be in pain. A headache or tenderness in the shoulder; but not the kind of pain she was displaying. She called for a shot of a pain killer called Demerol. Within minutes, Rydia relaxed and began to sleep soundly.

"What's going on with you? I just want to help you." He whispered.

_Feeling the sting of the backhand across her cheek she straightened her head back, narrowing her eyes. The passion was burning in her blue eyes as she turned to look back at Roman, who was being held by three men. She knew that he wanted to protect her; but in that particular moment, she wanted to protect him._

"_You aren't going to break me no matter how many times you hit me. I'm going to keep getting up and fight for what I want in life."_

_ The strange man in front of her snapped his fingers and all three men let go of Roman, backing away. Once the group left the building, Rydia turned to look at Roman. Another red mark blotched her face. She saw blood drip down from the corner of his eye. "Are you alright?" He asked._

"_Roman...I..." Rydia started to say taking a step closer to him._

"_Don't apologize, if that's what were trying to do."_

_ Before he knew it, her head rammed into his chest with a thud that made him take a step backward. His arms swiftly wrapped themselves around her small frame. He dipped his head into the nape of her neck, breathing in her scent._

Rydia shot awake, taking in a startled gasp of air. Roman caught her shoulders gently. He caressed her face, moving her hair out of her face to get a better look at her eyes. She reached up and placed her hands on top of his. The spark was immediate between them. She softly leaned her forehead against his out of comfort.

Roman could feel the clammy sweat against her forehead when her skin touched his. Something had happened in her sleep that made her awaken that way. He wondered if that was how she awoke from the coma as well. "Are you okay?" He whispered.

"I...I think so..." She replied relaxing her breathing.

He sat down next to her, taking her into his arms. She didn't fight him and didn't want to. There was obvious something between them. She saw it for herself within her own mind and her heart was racing with him near. "I want to remember everything and I don't understand why I can't." She cried, the frustration finally settling in.

"Give it some time. I promise I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you always."

Rydia pulled out of his arms to look directly into his eyes. His words sparked something else within her heart. Knowing that she had been in a coma for six months, she wondered why he didn't just give up on her. His words radiated with love and if she was correct, then the person he loved was her. "Did you ever give up on me? Did you ever think I wouldn't wake up?" She asked.

"No and even if you never did wake up, I never give up on you."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Knowing that she didn't remember much about him, he still wanted to give her the gift regardless of better judgment. Rydia eyed the box and the fear of what was inside was starting to scare her. She barely remembered who he was and he was handing her a box.

"Roman...I can't accept this...or at least not yet."

"It's not a ring, Ry. It a birthday gift...months late." He replied.

She realized then that she had been in the coma for her birthday. April 20 had already come and gone and she was a year older. Her fingers fumbled with the box as she tried open it. Inside, lay a small dreamcatcher necklace. He must know of her nationality of part Native American. The stone inside the catcher itself was beautiful sea green with swirls of black and dark blue. "It's beautiful...thank you." She replied tracing her fingertips along the pendant.

"You're welcome..."

"Don't be an ass, Seth!" A voice interrupted the tender moment between the reuniting couple.

"Skye, come on...she's asleep." Seth argued.

A woman with red and black hair stormed into the room, stopping mid-step when her eyes came in contact with Rydia's. Roman stood up, sitting the box on the stand next to the bed. He hadn't seen Skye in several weeks. The only thing he knew was that she had a new boyfriend in Dolph Ziggler and Seth made it known that he didn't like him much; but that was also because he knew that deep down Seth still wanted to be friends with Skye.

"Rydia..." Skye whispered.

"Skye?"

"Yeah...god I missed you like crazy."

Rydia smiled at the reality that there were quite a few people that missed her while she was in the coma. She stood up and took several steps towards her best friend. Skye stood firm in her place just waiting to see what would happen. To her surprise, Rydia wrapped her arms around her. Out of all the people in her life, Skye was the one she remembered most.


	37. Chapter 37

**Author Note: Thanks goes to angelsdee327, Slytherin Studios, LindaPipeBomb, Leasha Orton, and DeeMarie 426 for the reviews. I'm forever grateful for all of your support for this story from the very start. I'm going to be doing some different things with the next couple chapters, trust me there is a method to my madness. I love all of you guys!**

"_**If we could take some time**_

_**to lay it on the line**_

_**I could rest my head**_

_**Just knowin' that you were mine**_

_**All mine**_

_**So if you want to love me**_

_**then darlin' don't refrain**_

_**Or I'll just end up walkin'**_

_**In the cold November Rain"**_

_**'November Rain' by: Guns N' Roses**_

Chapter 37: Just One Kiss

**November 2****nd**

Rydia stared out the passenger side window, her mind was racing with every thought over the last few weeks since awaking from her six month long coma. Mia stayed close to her until her release from the hospital. Skye had been the best friend anyone could ask for during her struggle to know herself; but the one thing that still remained a mystery was the man known as Roman Reigns.

She knew that they had a history and there was definitely an attraction between them. He made her feel safe; but she had no idea why she should be afraid of anything. Despite not knowing why, there was a deep nagging feeling that there was someone she was afraid and still should be.

"You're quiet. Something wrong?" Skye asked taking a sharp left turn onto the highway.

"I've got this nagging feeling like I should be afraid of someone." Rydia replied turned her head in the other woman's direction.

"Makes sense that you would feel that way, considering how you ending up in the coma in the first place."

"What do you mean?"

Skye instantly regretted opening her mouth. She really didn't want to bring Nick up. He was a sore subject for all of them. She thought quickly about how she could answer her but not give her a complete answer. "You were shot by someone, Ry. That's why were in the coma for so long." She replied.

"I guess that makes sense. Does anyone know who shot me?"

"No..."

So, what was really like before all this happened to me?"

"Ry, you are still the same person just without all your memories. You are still that same loveable person you've always been."

Skye's words made Rydia accept the fact that it would take time for things to go back to normal. She was eager to start training inside a wrestling ring and her voice itched to be used once more. Most of her memories of her being a wrestler and singer have returned. It was mostly things surrounding Seth, Dean and Roman that still remained closed. "Are you sure you want to go back to traveling so soon?" Skye asked.

"I need to do something. Staying alone in that big house while Mia and Dean are gone is not my idea of living."

"I'm just concerned that it'll be too much for you."

Rydia reached over and placed her hand on top of Skye's. She appreciated the concern, she really did. One of the things she loved most about her was just that, her concern for others. Their fingers twined together. "Don't worry so much. I'll be fine. I need to do something and I'm not going to let my lack of memory slow me down."

**The Arena**

Roman sat in his vehicle waiting for the rain to slow down. It was hard to just give the woman he loved some space. He didn't want to crowd her while she was still recovering; but at the same time he wanted to hold her. In the backseat was Mia and Dean. He could see Dean's head snuggle into the nape of Mia's neck and it reminded him of Rydia's scent. Sitting next to him was Emilee Branson, the personal nurse/midwife for Mia; but unfortunately she was also his ex-girlfriend.

"It's not slowing down and I don't care if I get wet anymore. I need to pee." Mia blurted and started to exit the car with Dean trailing behind her.

"Mia! Wait!" Dean called.

It left Emilee and Roman alone in the SUV. There was an awkward silence that she wanted to remedy. She was also concerned about his behavior over the last couple weeks since Rydia woke up. He was even more cold towards her than before. He didn't even tell her to leave him alone anymore.

"Roman, are you alright. You've been awfully silent for weeks." Emilee commented.

"Rydia has no memory of our relationship how the hell am I supposed to feel."

Emilee wanted to be comforting to him; but every time she tried he pushed away even further. It was obvious to her that he wanted nothing to do with her and who could really blame him. She treated him so horrible in the past. "I'm trying to be a friend to you; but you won't let me even try to understand how you're feeling."

"I've let you in once and I'm not about to make that same mistake again."

His cold bitter attitude towards her was making the anger boil deep within her heart. She opened the door and started her long walk inside the arena in the November rain. Roman watched her, slightly feeling guilty for being so cold to her; but he knew that if he let her in, she'd destroy him like she had in the past.

Emilee's eyes burned with tears. Her feelings for Roman were a constant and she almost hated Rydia for stealing him away from her. She vowed to herself that when the baby was born, she would go back to her old life and pray that someone else could fill the void inside her heart that he left behind. "Emilee...are you alright? You look more pale than I do." Mia asked stepping around the corner from the restroom.

"I think I'm not really welcome around here." She whispered.

"Don't worry about Roman. He's struggling with Rydia's condition. I love having you around."

Mia embraced the saddened woman tightly, her large belly pressing against her smaller frame. Emilee held on, accepting the comfort Mia was trying to give. The sound of the door opening startled them into breaking apart. Roman stood inside the door frame, water dripping from his hair onto the floor beneath his feet.

"What?" He asked wondering why Mia was staring at him so harshly.

"You know that you don't have to treat Emilee so bad. She's here for me and I would appreciate it if you'd quit making her cry."

A coy smile tugged at his lips as he approached the ladies. He leaned in close enough that they both could feel his breath on their lips. "I don't have to answer to either one of you. I don't need to explain my reasons to anyone." He stated and continued on his way towards his own locker-room. Mia couldn't believe the words he had just spoken to her. Never once had he been mean in anyway, shape, or form. It broke her heart to see him in such a state, because she knew that he wasn't that kind of person.

**Parking Lot**

Skye pulled into the first open parking spot available. Rydia felt her stomach flutter with nervous butterflies. She had no idea what kind of reaction she'd receive when she walked in. Nobody but Skye knew she was coming. She wanted it to be a surprise and to talk on a personal level with Stephanie McMahon. "Ready?" Skye asked.

"Yeah...let's do this." Rydia replied opening the door.

She was dressed in a pair tight black vinyl pants and lime green tank top with a thin black vinyl jacket overcoat. The heels of her boots clicked against the concrete floor of the parking lot as she walked next to Skye. Her hand shook when she took hold of the handle of the door. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she pulled the door open and stepped inside. A wave of familiarity washed over her to the highest degree.

"Rydia, is that you?" A voice called.

Skye turned to see Nikki and Brie Bella standing against the wall closest to the restrooms. Rydia turned in their direction, confirming their question. She smiled upon seeing them. There was some memory of them from when she first met them back in January. Within moments, they were wrapping their arms around her and making a huge fuss over her. "We didn't think we would ever see you again." Brie commented.

"This place feels like home to me and I couldn't just sit around waiting for all of memories to come back." Rydia replied.

"If we can help in anyway, just let us know okay." Nikki offered.

"Thank you."

Skye urged her in the opposite direction towards the office. She was hoping to avoid anyone else noticing her. Rydia was wondering what the rush was. The more people that recognized her the more small memories came back to her. It was working and it made her so happy to find something that helped with the longing for the sense of familiarity.

The office was just in eyesight, just a few more feet and they would be at their destination. Skye knocked on the door loud enough for the occupants to hear. A rustling sound came before the door opened to reveal Hunter. It wasn't who she was hoping for; but it would do. Rydia stepped around from Skye's taller frame. Hunter's eyes instantly widened in surprise.

"Rydia..." He whispered.

"Hello Hunter." She replied.

"This is an unexpected surprise, come in please."

He stepped aside to allow the two women inside the spacious office. Rydia could easily tell that he seemed genuinely happy to see her. The shock in his eyes and the smile was enough to sell her into his welcoming presence. Hunter took a second look at her. He couldn't believe that she was really there. The expectation of her ever coming back just was never there.

"What brings you here tonight?" Hunter asked.

"I wanted to surprise everyone." Rydia replied simply.

"I thought you had amnesia."

Skye narrowed her eyes at him. She really hated when people used that term when addressing her best friend. When she went to open her mouth, Rydia held her hand up to cut the words off. It didn't offend her as much as it used to. The fact was that she remembered a lot more than she told people. There was something she really wanted and the only two people that could make that happen was Hunter and Stephanie.

"Skye, could you give us a few minutes alone please." Rydia asked.

"What? Why?" Skye asked confused and concerned for her.

"It's fine. I just need to talk to him about something in private."

The hesitation was overwhelming and red warning signs just screamed at her; but she did as her friend asked. Turning heel, she stepped outside the office only to run directly into Seth. His hands touched her arms to steady her gently. "I'm sorry..." She whispered and walked around him.

"Skye, are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"You know you can still talk to me about anything."

She nodded her head, giving him a half smile in the process. He realized that she was still being evasive of him since their breakup a two months prior. Watching her walk away was probably one of the hardest things he had to endure on pretty often basis. She accompanied Dolph to the arena on most events unless she was with Rydia.

Taking note that she had come from the office, there was some curiosity as to why she was even in there in the first place. He knew that Stephanie wasn't even in the building yet. Seth hovered around the door for another few minutes hoping someone else would emerge; but no one did, ending his curiosity for the time being.

Inside the office, Rydia stood a few feet away from the boss she had come to trust in such a short time. Hunter was confused as what she would want to talk about without Skye by her side. There was clearly more to the woman than he first thought. "You aren't here to just surprise everyone, are you?" He accused.

"Well I am; but that's not the only reason I came here tonight."

"So tell me..."

"I want to have a part in tonight show. I want to make my return."

Hunter eyebrow rose at her statement. There was nothing but determination in her eyes. Sadly, he had no idea if she had done any training since waking up from the coma. Considering, it's only been a couple weeks. "I can see your skepticism. I know I haven't done any training yet; but I can still make an appearance."

"Rydia, I don't know if I can do that."

"No one knows I'm here. I just want to come out and do an onscreen manager romance."

"This is about Roman isn't it. You're frustrated with your lack of memories of him."

She didn't have to respond to that, he already know the answer to it. The frustration was a big problem for her and it grew even more intensely every day that passed by. The necklace around her neck was the only reminder she had of him beside photos in her phone. Her hand unconsciously reached up to touch the small dreamcatcher pendent just above her chest.

"Let me see if I can work it in without letting anyone but stage crew know."

"Thank you so much!"

**Dean Ambrose's Locker**

Mia sat on the floor stretching out, her belly laying on the floor. The baby inside was aggressively kicking her. She was starting to get antsy. With only two short months left, there was still so much to get done before the arrival of her precious baby. Dean had been adamant in putting the crib together himself instead of having someone else do it for them. His harsh travel schedule continued to get in the way of getting things accomplished at home.

"Good, now keep breathing." Emilee coached.

She took deep breaths, listening to the music playing on her iPod behind her. The song switched to a demo from Rydia's cover band. The song was 'These Dreams' originally sung by Heart back in the 80's. The sound of her voice was soothing beyond words and she couldn't help but hum along with the song.

"This isn't the original song. Who redid this?" Emilee asked.

"Rydia did..."

"That's Rydia singing!"

"Yes it is."

Emilee was amazed by the amount of talent held within the woman she pretty much hated. As much as she liked the original version, there was something about the newer version that drew her in. "Does she still sing?" She asked out of curiosity.

"No for a long time; but usually if Skye asks she will."

"What's going on in here?" Dean asked walking into the room with a towel wrapped around his waist.

Emilee took this lack of clothing her sign to leave. She turned the music off and stepped out of the room. Mia watched with lustful eyes at him in just a towel. She struggled to get off the floor just to make her way to him. He leaned down to kiss her lips. His hands rubbed her belly, greeting his child warmly. "So how are you feeling?" He asked.

"I feel good today, except for Roman's little outburst earlier."

"Don't take it personal. He's going through something none of us has ever gone through before. The love of his life doesn't even remember loving him."

He had a point and the more she thought about it the more she felt sorry for him. She had her sister back for the most part; but he had nothing at all with her. Her head turned away from Dean and turned on the backstage TV for her to watch Roman's match. The expression on his face was good acting, because the look in his eyes gave away what he was really feeling.

**Monday Night Raw**

Roman stood face to face with John Cena, one of his partners for their traditional elimination tag-team match at Survivor Series. They had just beaten two of their opponents in Randy Orton and Kane. The referee shifted out of the way when Randy returned with a steel chair in hand. Kane grabbed John by the throat to chokeslam him; but was given the Spear for his efforts. Randy clocked John in the back with the steel chair.

The crowd cheered loudly when Randy turned to receive his own Spear. Roman bellowed out in dominance. John rolled back into the ring and raised his arm up. A familiar static sound cut off Roman's music and turned into a hard rock song with a female vocal. 'Break Out' by The Letter Black. Within seconds, the crowds cheered became almost deafening. They all knew who was about to walk out onto the stage.

Roman couldn't believe what he was hearing. There was no way possible for her to be there. Rydia stepped out from the curtain and walked out onto the stage for the first time in seven months. Her reception was beyond words for her to describe. She never imagine the reaction she was receiving that very moment.

A smile formed on her face as she made her way down the ramp towards the ring. John couldn't believe his eyes and neither could Roman. Neither man ever thought they would see her inside a wrestling ring again after what happened. Michael Cole, JBL and Jerry Lawler talked about her scripted injury to hide that fact that she was really shot and in a coma for six months.

Rydia stood before Roman with a smile. She could tell that he was surprised to see her just like everyone else was. Her hand reached out to grab his wrist and lifted his arm up. Out of instinct, he wrapped his arms around her. She wasn't satisfied with just an embrace, so when he pulled away she leaned in to kiss his lips.

The crowd reacted in the way she had hoped they would. He returned her kiss without any hesitation. John watched with a smile, knowing how happy that moment made Roman even if it was scripted.


	38. Chapter 38

**Author Note: Thanks goes to Slytherin Studios, Leasha Orton, LindaPipeBomb, THE Kid Hardy, Lilygirl95 and DeeMarie426 for the reviews. Thanks also goes to The Simonette254 and Lilygirl95 for becoming followers to this story. I serious love all of your support of this story and encouragement to complete something this complex. This chapter is a milestone and maybe a little bit of a tear jerker. I hope you all like it. There are sections of lyrics from the song 'Fallen Angel' by Poison in this chapter.**

"_**Every rose has its thorn**_

_**Just like every night had its dawn**_

_**Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song**_

_**Every rose has its thorn**_

_**Yeah it does"**_

_**'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' by: Poison**_

Chapter 38: Reunion

Roman couldn't understand what was really going on. The only thing he knew was that Rydia's lips were pressed against his own. Her tongue swiped against his parted lips, begging entrance to his mouth. His hand reached up to cup her cheek, taking the kiss even deeper. The crowd cheering behind them was a sure indication they accepted the pairing. He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead down on top of hers.

"Rydia..." He whispered.

"Shh..." She soothed.

Within her own mind, was all the memories she thought she had lost. It also meant she also remembered Nick, the man who caused all the turmoil in the first place. Her eyes burned with the heartache of knowing that if she told people that her memories returned, they would all be in danger again. And that was something she wasn't willing to risk.

She stood in the middle of the ring looking up into Roman's eyes, playing her part of the love interest; but in reality she really was the love interest and the one she belonged with. He completed her in more ways than one.

**Backstage**

Mia couldn't believe what she had just witness. Rydia returning without anyone knowing was beyond words of description. The kiss she shared with Roman couldn't have been anymore perfect; but she had a feeling it would only confuse the man more than he already was. He was already having a hard time accepting the fact that Rydia couldn't remember their relationship.

"What was that? Why didn't we know about it?" Dean asked rubbing his hand against Mia's belly.

"I honestly don't know. Maybe her memory returned and isn't saying anything." She answered.

Dean didn't reply; but his fiance's answer did make a lot of sense to him. Rydia was the type of person to protect the ones she loved despite harming herself in the process. His only hope was that she wouldn't get killed for the effort.

Seth barged into the room without knocking first. The surprise was plainly obvious on his face. Mia could only imagine what he was feeling after seeing Rydia's surprise return only to make out with Roman on live television. She knew the feelings were one sided and they always would be.

"Did you know about that?" Seth asked accusing Mia of knowing and not telling him.

"No, none of us did." She replied.

It then occurred to him that Skye left the office pretty quickly. Maybe she took Rydia in there to hide from everyone else. "Skye, that sneaky little..." Seth commented cutting himself off before he called her something he'd regret later.

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked irritated by his friend's interruption.

"I ran into Skye coming out of the office. She seemed agitated and scattered. I tried to talk to her; but she just pushed me away."

"Do you really blame her for pushing you away? You practically tore her heart out." Mia snapped.

Seth let out a sigh. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. All he had accomplished in those months of searching for answers was push away the one person that made him feel whole. Thinking Rydia could ever return his feelings was complete insanity and there was nothing left to say about it.

Rydia walked next to Roman. He continued to run the last thirty minutes inside his mind over and over in a rapid replay. The way she had kissed him reminded him of all their previous kisses, before the coma. It was like she felt everything he did. "Rydia..." He called stopping in the middle of the hall. He wanted answers and felt that he deserved them, since her action played a critical role on him.

She turned to gaze at him for a moment, understanding that he was probably confused about what happened. For once in her life, she didn't know what to say to make things less confusing for him. Her eyes burned with the anguish in wanting to tell him the truth.

"What was that all about?" He asked cautiously hoping it didn't sound angry or harsh.

"I wanted to make my return and Hunter squeezed it in for me. I just wanted to surprise everyone." She replied hiding the fact that it really was all about him.

Roman couldn't tell if she was sincere or lying about what her intentions were; but seeing the dreamcatcher around her neck it made him think there was more to her reasons than she was willing to admit. Seeing her wear the pendent gave him hope that she'd remember what they had. A smile crept to his lips, taking her breath away in an instant.

"Come on, I'm sure the others are dying to see you."

"Probably! I hope I didn't surprise Mia into labor."

Rydia laughed for the first time in a long time. Being close to him brought back all the reasons she loved him. He was her rock, the one thing solid in her life that wouldn't crumble before her eyes. The only problem was that she couldn't tell him the truth, it would only put him in danger once again. He was safer not knowing.

Turning the corner, Mia and Dean stood with Seth talking. She could see the smiles forming on their faces the second they glanced in her direction. Mia was the first to welcome her into an embrace. "It was awesome to see you in the ring again. They missed you so much." Mia encouraged.

"You think?" Rydia questioned.

"Did you hear them, Ry? They love you." Dean replied hugging his future sister-in-law.

Seth was the last one to embrace her. He was hesitant in doing so, because of the fact he knew that he really needed to just let go. He needed to focus on something else. She was alive and awake, and that's all he really wanted to begin with.

Rydia pulled away knowing something was different about him. The feeling of guilt overwhelmed her senses when she realized that while in the coma, he had done so much in trying to find Nick. He also made sure her room was always cheery. She never thanked him for any of it; but if she did then he would know that her memories had returned. Knowing she couldn't bring herself to admit it, she opted to say nothing at all.

"I think we should go out tonight." Mia suggested.

"Mia, do you think that's a good idea?" Dean asked.

"I think it's a great idea." Skye stated interrupting the conversation.

They all turned in her direction. Skye smiled at Rydia. Seth closed his eyes in shame after thinking about all he had done to her for the sake of a chance that Rydia would wake up. Now, he wasn't so sure it was even worth it.

Skye's hand was twined with that of Dolph Ziggler's. His semi-long bleach blonde hair was pulled back into a small ponytail. His eyes never moved from Seth's, indicating hostility between them. To make the tension even higher, Emilee stepped out of Dean's locker-room wondering where Mia had gone off to.

Rydia tried desperately not to narrow her eyes at the woman. There was just something about her she didn't like. Feeling Roman tense behind her was only a confirmation that she should feel that way. She only wished she knew what the connection was between them.

"Emilee, come out with us. It'll be fun, I promise." Mia begged.

"I guess so; but only to keep an eye on you. You really need to be more careful."

Roman mentally rolled his eyes at the thought of her going anywhere with them. He hoped that he would get a chance to talk with Rydia one on one. Emilee's eyes bore into his. Her burning jealousy of Rydia was painfully obvious. His protective nature was starting to take over as he gently placed his hand on Rydia's lower back.

His sudden touch sparked Rydia's desire to wrap her arms around him and never let go. Her restraint was quickly crumbling being that close to him for a long period of time. She just hoped that going out with all of them would put some distance between them. "So where do you want to go, Skye?" She asked softly.

"I've only got one place in mind considering we in our home town." Skye replied with a childish smile.

There was only one place Rydia could think of and that was the biggest karaoke bar in the state. It also had a DJ. There were so many memories of the two of them spending all their money doing what they always loved to do. There was no way she could hide her smile and the laughter that followed. "So you remember that I see." Skye inquired wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"I told you that I had almost all of my memories of my past, including you. Yes, I remember where I made my start in the music industry."

"So we are going show all the amateurs how its done tonight?"

Rydia laughed, loving her upbeat personality despite all she's been through over the last couple of years. Emilee perked at the thought of getting a chance to see her voice in action. She may hate her for stealing Roman's heart; but her liking of her vocal talent was there and the respect for that outweighed the hatred most of the time.

The group started to close the gap around her. The mutual want to hear her once again was more important than anything else in that moment. They wanted her to feel normal and safe. Rydia looked around at all the loved ones surrounding her. "Come on, you need to have fun again. You know you love to sing." Mia encouraged.

"It's been so long..."

"Doesn't matter how long it's been, the talent is still there." Seth stated taking a step closer to her.

Roman held back his aggression. He didn't want to scare her by him telling Seth to back off, because there really wasn't anything he could say since she still didn't remember their relationship. Rydia smiled at him, remembering the day she woke up from the coma. She shifted her eyes from him to Roman. His encouragement was the one she wanted to hear the most.

"I'd love to hear you again." He said with a smile.

"Then it's settled, let's go!" Skye said clapping her hands together.

**Karaoke Bar**

The moment Rydia walked into the building a sense of remembrance washed over her. Her past was filled with memories of the building they were presently standing in. The place was where she first met Skye. Back then, she was happy covering songs from the 80's decade. It wasn't until she met Skye did her music expand to different decades and genres. Her hand reached up to touch the pendent around her neck. It gave her such comfort knowing who it came from.

"Okay, you've got to do this one song with me." Skye pleaded.

"What one? We did so many together." Rydia asked.

Her best friend laughed. They really did so many songs together over the years, she lost track of them all; but there was one in particular she had in mind. Her heart hadn't forgotten what Seth had done to her when Rydia was gone. She wanted him to know that her feelings were still hurt over the things he did. "I'll do whatever song you want; but I think you already know which one I want to do." Rydia continued.

There was only one song Skye knew her best friend would want to do. Their friends were in for a serious treat. Her eyes caught Roman. Something was definitely bothering him and the guess she had was that Emilee was there; but maybe Rydia's little stunt to return confused him. Either way she felt sorry for him.

Mia made her way to a table close to the front of the stage. She wanted an up close and personal view of her sister doing one of the things she loved most in life. Dean sat down next to her. He wasn't entirely happy about how stubborn Mia was about going out when she should be resting. He was concerned about her health when so far into her pregnancy.

"Come on Em, sit down and relax." Mia said patting the seat on the other side of her.

"You are so stubborn. You should be resting not encouraging your sister's outings."

"She needs this."

Emilee didn't say another word. She felt that Rydia didn't deserve anything. They made such a fuss of over her and she didn't see what was so special. It partly had to do with the fact that she held Roman's heart in the palm of her hands. As bitter as it made her sound, she kind of wished that Rydia would remain without memories. "I'm going to get a drink..." She stated standing up from the chair.

"That's the spirit!" Mia yelled.

Rolling her eyes, she made her way to the bar for a drink. The bar tender handed Roman three drinks and he turned to walk away. She approached him, hoping to talk to him; but like always he kept right on walking, pretending like she didn't even exist. "It hurts doesn't it?" A voice asked.

Emilee turned to look in the direction of a man in his early thirties. He had shoulder length light brown hair and the darkest brown eyes she had ever seen. A small earring was set in both of his ears. She never liked piercings; but on him it looked good. "Are you talking to me?" She asked.

"Of course sweetheart."

"He's my ex-boyfriend and yeah, it's hurts."

The stranger took several steps closer to her. His fingertips moved several strains of her hair out of her beautiful blue eyes. Emilee had no idea who the man was; but her body tingled with sensations she hadn't felt since being with Roman years ago. "My name is Nick and he's a fool for letting someone so beautiful go." He complimented.

"Thank you. He is a damned fool. His heart belongs to someone who doesn't even remember him."

"Such a shame..."

A familiar song started to play. 'Fallen Angel' by Poison. It was Rydia's favorite song from the past. His eyes scanned the stage waiting to see if it was her and sure enough she was standing in the middle of the stage dressed in tight black vinyl pants and lime green tank top with a scoop neckline. It didn't surprise him that she was wearing her favorite pair of black knee-high boots. It also didn't surprise him to see Skye close to her with her body moving up against Rydia's.

"She stepped off the bus out into the city streets

Just a small town girl with her whole life

Packed in a suitcase by her feet

But somehow the lights didn't

Shine as bright as they did

On her mama's TV screen" Rydia sung with a smile plastered to her lips.

The words flowed off her lips without any hesitation at all. She was no doubt singing with all her heart. With Skye at her side it was almost like six years ago right in front of him. He hated the fact that she could still wiggle her way into his heart even after everything that had happened already.

Emilee couldn't believe the talent radiating from Rydia's mouth. She really was one-of-a-kind and it made her hate her even more. Hatred was an emotion she was unfamiliar with; but since involving herself with Mia, it has made its presence more times than she would have liked. "Are you alright?" Nick asked trying to forget about the song and Rydia.

"Yeah...that's the woman my ex wants. I guess I can't blame him. She's got so much going for her than me. I'm just a OBGYN."

"There is nothing wrong with that. You help give life to babies."

"It's not the same as it used to be..."

Roman watched intently from his own table, taking swigs of his beer every so often. Rydia just proved to him time and time again that she really was everything to him. It had been so long since he had heard her voice. It was just as beautiful as he remembered.

"Win big—Mama's fallen angel

Lose big- living out her lies

Wants it all- Mama's fallen angel

Lose it all, rolling the dice of her life"

Rydia held out the last note and hugged Skye tightly. There was so much emotion flowing through her that tears rolled down her cheeks without any warning. The crowd clapped and cheered loudly. It only brought on more emotions within her and she didn't know how much longer she could hide the fact her memories were back.

Seth pretty much got the idea that Skye was still hurt by what he had done to her. He wanted to make things okay; but there was a problem with doing so and his name was Dolph Ziggler. Standing beside Roman as he watched Rydia's tears roll down her cheeks made him realize just how helpless he was and had been the whole time. "She really is amazing..." He commented.

"Yes, she is..."

His hands clenched at his sides, forming fists. The frustration of the unknown was getting to him. Rydia stepped down from the stage and made her way over towards her sister for a comforting hug. His eyes followed her every move, waiting for the right time to approach her.

On the other side of the bar, the DJ was starting his night of music. Skye pulled Rydia by the hand to get into the large crowd, dancing against each other. A smile never left her face as they sang along to each and every song played. It was almost like the were teenagers again. It wasn't until the DJ decided to play a slow song meant for couples, did they realize that they weren't the only ones in the crowd.

Dolph cut in and took Skye's hand. She winked at Rydia as she stepped back onto the floor in his arms. Rydia walked back towards the bar, feeling a little left out and with an urge to find Roman. She tried to remember if she had ever slow danced with him before; but she kept coming up with nothing, which meant they hadn't.

"Hey..." Roman's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Hey..." She replied almost startled by him showing up right when she was thinking about him.

Her eyes watched him hold out his hand. He was silently offering to dance with her. She hesitated only for a second before placing her hand into his. The warmth of his skin comforted her, easing the longing she had to be near him. The heels of her boots clicked against the floor as they walked side by side onto the dance floor.

Roman wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her ever so close. Her blue eyes shimmered with the flashing lights reflecting off them. She placed her hand on his chest, moving their bodies along with the song. "Are you having fun tonight?" He asked.

"Yeah, surprisingly."

"You didn't think you would?" He asked again.

"It's complicated..."

The song changed to another slow on, dedicated to the 80's decade. 'Is This Love' by Whitesnake. Rydia stared up into Roman's eyes, wishing that she could kiss his perfect lips and feel every last bit of love from him. She began to hum the song to distract herself from doing exactly what she was thinking. "Have anymore of your memories come back?" He asked softly leaning into the nape of her neck.

His warm breath brushed along her sensitive skin. The question was one she didn't want to answer for fear of what would happen to him if she told the truth. Her silence was a warning not to push any further. "I wish you remembered our relationship. I miss you so much. The kiss we shared tonight at work was perfect. It give me hope that someday you'll remember what we had when I see you wear this." He said reached out to touch the dreamcatcher pendent just above her chest.

"I'm sorry if I confused you." She replied hoping her voice didn't sound cracked or weak.

"I just want you back, so I can say I love you again."

The three words she had been dying to hear only made it that much harder to lie. Tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably. Her heart completely shattered. He was so miserable and it was her fault. His thumb brushed away the stray tears. "Don't cry, baby girl. This is going to take time and I'm just letting you know that I'm not going anywhere. I didn't then and I won't now."

His devotion to her was mind blowing. Never once in her entire life was someone that devoted to her. The name he called her just reminded her of the night he had asked her out for a drink. It was the first time she really noticed and took a liking to him instantly. Their bond had been unbreakable every since then. It was then that she came to a decision.

"Roman...I...I can't lie anymore..."

"Lie about what?"

Rydia didn't say another word. She let her kiss speak the words for her. Her lips crashed upon his with both her arms wrapped around his neck. The sudden kiss startled him and almost instantly confused him; but he wouldn't deny her attempt to be close to him. He just wanted to know what it meant as he lost himself in all the sensations he hadn't felt for months. "I love you to..." She whispered when they separated.

"Rydia...?"

"I remember everything. I've known for a little while. I just thought you not knowing the truth would keep you safe."

"I don't care about Nick. I only care about you and this...us."

He held onto her, not wanting to let go for anything or anyone. Rydia smiled against his chest, his hair falling into her face, tickling her nose. "I'm sorry I've been keeping this a secret for so long; but I really was trying to protect you." She apologized. His embraced only tightened, silencing her from any more apologies.

"It doesn't matter. You're back and that's all the matters to me."

Nick watched from the upper level with Emilee by his side. The anger was radiating off the woman like a wildfire. He was hoping he could use it to his advantage and against the woman that still plagued him. It was time to stop playing games and get serious about ending Rydia's life once and for all.

Emilee watched as Roman kissed Rydia. Her jealousy and hatred growing by the second. She could feel Nick's hand touch her shoulder in a comforting manner. There was so many things running through her mind all at the same time. It didn't take her long to snap. She threw the glass in her hand onto the floor. "It'll be okay. Shh...I'm here." Nick soothed pulling Emilee into an embrace.

"I hate her..." She whispered.

"I know...I know..."

A smile never left his lips the whole time he was holding the heartbroken woman in his arms.


	39. Chapter 39

**Author Note: Thanks goes to marvinanaconda96 for becoming a follower of this story. Thanks also goes to Slytherin Studios, LindaPipeBomb, DeeMarie426, and The Kid Hardy for the reviews. All of you are simply amazing. We are coming down the last couple chapters, so a lot of things are going to take place. I really hope you like the newest installment. **

"_**Tell me what it takes to let you go**_

_**Tell me how the pain's supposed to go **_

_**Tell me how is that you can sleep at night**_

_**Without thinking you lost everything that was**_

_**good in your life to the toss of the dice?**_

_**Tell me what it takes to let you go"**_

_**'What It Takes' by: Aerosmith**_

Chapter 39: Broken

**November 3****rd****, 9:30 am**

"Why didn't you tell us you had all your memories back?" Mia asked pleadingly.

Rydia sat down on the edge of the bed in her hotel room. Running a hand through her long hair was a symbol of her guilt; but it changed nothing inside her head. She really was trying to protect all of them by not telling anyone. "Put yourself in my place. Would you have told anyone if you knew it would keep the people you love safe?" Rydia asked folding her hands across her lap.

"No matter what you say or what Nick does, none of us would walk away from you and have to know that by now." Skye stated sitting down next to her best friend.

Seth crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the far wall away from the group. He honestly didn't want to be there. He felt that they all had problems with him. Knowing that Skye was never going to forgive him made the reality sink in that much harder.

Rydia looked up from her lap and glanced in his direction. She could see the despair on his face and the guilt in his eyes. It broke her heart to see him so down on life and on himself. "All of you have been great to me during all the chaos. I know that none of you would abandon me; but it won't take Nick long to figure out that I don't have amnesia anymore."

"Then we will protect you." Roman stated standing up from the folding chair he had been sitting on.

"Roman...I can't..."

"Don't! Nothing you say will change my mind. I love you and no one will ever come between us, believe that baby girl."

Rydia's eyes filled with moisture almost immediately upon hearing his declaration. She looked around at the others. Their determination was clearly not going to go away; but Seth remained emotionless. Dean turned to see his distraught friend hiding in the back. "What's wrong with you?" He asked sensing something was definitely off with him.

"I'm done..." He whispered pushing himself away from the wall and began to move towards the door.

"Seth..." Rydia called.

He stopped for a moment to turn his head to meet her pleading gaze. Seeing her tears tore him to pieces; but there was nothing left for him within the group. Returning his head forward, he continued to walk away. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Skye snapped.

"What's it look like? I'm leaving." Seth replied not bothering to look at her.

"So you're just going to abandon her now. After the trouble you went through to help track down Nick while she was asleep?"

"It went nowhere and there is nothing to show for it. We still don't know where he is or even how to prevent him from harming her again. I'm not going to sit here and watch anymore."

Skye understood the helpless feeling he had, because she felt it herself. There was more to his actions than Nick. She want to dive in deeper, risking his anger towards her. Rydia needed him just like she needed all of them in one way or another. "You're a coward!" She yelled standing up from the bed and took a couple steps close to him.

"Skye, that's enough..." Mia stated.

"No! He's walking away because he's not getting what he wants."

Her words stung deep. He really knew then that she didn't want anything more to do with him. Skye kept quiet, waiting to see if he'd continue to walk and sure enough that's exactly what he did. Rydia's heart dropped. Panic was starting to set in. Her hands began to tremble. "I don't understand why he'd just walk away." Rydia whispered choking on the words in between sobs of tears.

"Don't bother to concern yourself over him. We are better off without him anyway." Skye answered.

"Says who? You have been extremely bitter since you two split up. Face it, maybe my sister has more loveable qualities than you do." Mia countered harshly.

Rydia didn't want to see anymore arguments between the people she cared about most. She stood up swiftly and started after Seth. Roman watched as his girlfriend chased after the man he felt most threatened by when it came to her. The door slammed shut behind her and Mia instantly glared at Skye. "What the hell is wrong with you? There was no reason to say any of that to him." Mia snapped.

"I have every right! Did you forget that he tore my heart out?"

"You never let anyone forget." Dean interrupted reaching out for Mia's arm in attempts to calm her.

"Whatever, you have your opinions and I have mine. Seth isn't worth our time."

Mia took a step back and felt a sudden gush of fluid run down her leg and connect with the carpeted floor. Her startled look concerned Roman and that's when he saw the large wet spot on the floor. "Mia, what's wrong?" He asked closing the distance between them. Dean shifted to see what his friend was referring to.

"I think my water broke..." She replied with a touch of fear etched into her voice.

"No, you're not due for another eight weeks." Dean commented with concern.

"We need Emilee. Where is she?" Skye asked.

"I'll call her." Roman offered.

**Hotel Lobby, 12:00 PM**

Rydia raced out of the elevator in search of Seth. Dozens of people crowded her view of the large room. Turning her head from side to side, she finally caught sight of his multicolored hair exiting the hotel. Her legs began to run after him, hoping to catch up. There were so many things inside her mind, things that needed to be said before it was too late to say them.

Outside the hotel, Seth stood in the parking lot staring out at the large amount of vehicles. Rydia turned the corner and found him. He shifted his head and met her gaze from a distance. He was surprised to see her standing there; but was hesitant in acknowledging her presence at all.

"Seth..." She called slowly walking closer to him.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Don't do this, please..."

Seth wondered why she was pleading with him. There was nothing special about him being a part of the group. There was no need for him to be a part of it and yet here she was closing the distance between them, pleading with him to stay. "Rydia, I'm sorry; but you and I both know that there is no need for me."

"That's not true. I need you."

"You don't have to pretend to give a damn about me."

The frustration of his constant self pity behavior was getting to her. Her hand connect with the side of his face. She didn't want to hear anymore excuses. She wanted the truth as to why he was acting the way he was towards her. Her blue eyes narrowed and gave him one of the most harsh stares he had ever seen. "Don't give me that shit! Seth, be honest with me...what is wrong?"

"It doesn't matter anymore."

"It does matter. It matters to me."

He shook his head and took a step backwards. Rydia felt like he was slipping away even further than she originally thought. Something happened while she had been in the coma that changed things between them. It tore her to pieces to think that they'd never be able to talk to each other. She didn't want him to abandon her.

"What happened when I was asleep that changed things between us? I thought we were friends."

"I never gave up on when everyone else pretty much did. I came to see you every week and I even met with Nick's father to see if I could track him down."

"I know and I'm forever grateful to that fact that you didn't give up; but why leave me now?"

Seth took several cautious steps towards the woman his heart soared for upon sight. He hated the fact that she could make him crumble so easily. It reminded him of his relationship with Skye the first time. His hand reached out to cup her cheek gently in his palm. "It hurts too much to be around you and Skye right now. I broke her heart and now she completely hates me. I fell for you without meaning to..."

"She doesn't hate you. She loves you. Dolph is unfortunately the rebound guy she picked to ease her pain. As far as you falling for me, I don't believe that's true. You feel connected to me because we understand each other and have a lot in common; but I think the real reason is that you are afraid to really love Skye again after the first time she broke your heart."

He took her words into consideration. Most of it made sense to him. He knew that he had been afraid to get close to Skye again after the night she walked away from him. Rydia was the easy escape. His hand dropped from her face and he hung his head low in shame. The guilt of pushing Skye away weighed heavy on his heart.

Rydia's cell phone rung interrupting the conversation. She looked down to see Dean's name, which alarmed her instantly. He never called her unless there was something wrong. Her finger swiped across the screen to answer the call. "Hello?" She greeted.

"Ry, Mia is in labor. We are at the hospital. I'm freaking out...it's too early for her to have the baby. What if something is wrong?" Dean replied.

"Calm down...everything will be fine. I'll be there shortly."

"Okay...please hurry. She's crying for you."

She ended the call and looked up at Seth. He had heard the entire conversation. Knowing that she was upset, he pulled her into a comforting embrace. Her sobs were easily heard and felt against his chest. He leaned down to kiss her forehead when she moved her head up. His lips caught hers accidentally.

Rydia bolted away swiftly. She knew that it had been an accident; but it still didn't ease the tension between them. "I need to go. Are you coming or are you going to just walk away? I said my piece the choice is yours now." She confirmed and started to walk deeper into the parking lot.

"Wait up!" Seth yelled running after her.

She slowed down; but didn't turn back to look at him. A smile glistened on her lips. A sense of relief washed over her to know that he wasn't going to give up on her or stop being the friend he always had been to her. Her biggest challenge now was to talk to Skye about things, now that all of her memories returned.

**The Hospital, 2:00 PM**

Mia lay in a medical bed breathing deeply, trying to drown out the pain she was feeling in her lower abdomen. Each and every contraction took her breath away for a split second. Dean stood next to her, holding her hand. She squeezed it every time pain took over. When the nurse revealed that her water had indeed broke, her fear was relived. Fear for her baby was overwhelming. Eight weeks early was dangerous for the lung development.

"I'm scared..." She cried.

"I know baby...so am I..." Dean replied.


	40. Chapter 40

**Author Note: Thanks goes to Cougar3371 and LadyOfJusticeShield for becoming followers of the story. Thanks also goes to Leasha Orton, Lilygirl95, LindaPipeBomb, DeeMarie426 and THE Kid Hardy for the reviews. I'm almost to 200 reviews and that's always been a goal of mine. It's been amazing to see the number continue to climb. I also wanted to tell all of you know that I started another story called 'Pull Me Down'. Its a Dean Ambrose x OC story, so check it out if you like.**

"_**So when the sun goes down**_

_**An' those nights grow colder**_

_**I will be there**_

_**Looking over your shoulder**_

_**An' the deeper the love**_

_**The stronger the emotion,**_

_**An' the stronger the love**_

_**The deeper the devotion"**_

_**'Deeper The Love' by: Whitesnake**_

Chapter 40: The Baby

**Hospital 4:00 PM**

Mia cried out in pain as it grew more intense as the minutes passed. Dean looked on helplessly. He honestly had no idea what to do except be there for her and do as she asked. Roman could hear her cries from outside the room. There was nothing more heartbreaking to a man than to hear a woman cry out in pain. "Come on Emilee, answer me..." He whispered.

"Roman!" Rydia shouted from the other side of the hall.

He lifted his head up from staring at his phone to see both Rydia and Seth running in his direction. The fact they weren't holding hands was a sign that they didn't decide to be together and that his nagging feeling of her having feelings for Seth could be extinguish. They acted like they always did. Friends. "What happened?" She asked with obvious concern.

"It's labor. Her water broke at the hotel. I'm guessing the fight she had with Skye did her in on the stress level."

"What fight?" Seth asked looking directly at the cowering woman sitting down in the waiting room.

"It doesn't matter, things are already in motion; but Emilee won't answer any calls."

Rydia curled her bottom lip into her mouth so she could bit it with the top section of her teeth. She took the few short steps it took to walk into the room Mia was occupying. Dean shifted his head, hoping that it was a nurse, doctor or someone to help with the pain; but he could see the dark brown hair of Rydia.

"Mia..." She called.

"Rydia...I'm scared..."

"I know...we have to stay positive. Everything will be okay, I promise."

She leaned down and kissed her sister's forehead. Tears rolled down Mia's cheeks just as a nurse walked in. She smiled warmly at the soon-to-be parents and took a small glance in Rydia's direction. Instantly, the nurse could tell that Mia was in great amounts of pain. "We still haven't heard from Emilee Branson, so we have another doctor coming in to deliver your baby shortly. Do you want medicine for the pain?"

"Please...it hurts so bad. I don't care who delivers the baby. I just want it to be healthy and safe." Mia pleaded.

"Don't worry...we will take great care of you and the baby. I'll call for an anesthesiologist to come up and give you the epidural."

Dean thanked the woman before she walked out of the room. Rydia couldn't believe that soon she would be an aunt to a beautiful baby boy or girl. Leaning against the wall, she wondered if she would ever experience the same happiness her sister would be soon. With the chaos her current life entailed, the odds were pretty low; but if by some miracle Nick was arrested, then maybe her dreams would come true.

"Mia, I'm going to be in the waiting room with Roman and the others. This is you guys' private time. Don't worry, I won't be far."

"Okay..."

Dean couldn't understand why she was leaving so soon. There was still time before the baby would be born. Something didn't add up; but he didn't want to question her in front of Mia's delicate condition. As Rydia walked out of the room, a short American man walked in with a cart. His decision to follow Rydia outside the room, changed the second the man walked in.

"Alright let's get you all feeling good." The man commented.

**Outside The Room**

Roman moved over a seat so Rydia could sit down next to him. Their hands twined together as she leaned into his chest for comfort. He kissed her forehead and welcomed her company. She didn't want to move or leave his side. In his arms was where she felt the most safe. The last remaining blur seemed clearer now that she admitted the truth she had been hiding for over a week.

Skye folded her hand across her lap, shaking her right leg nervously. Seth noticed her anxious behavior and reached over to take her hands into his. His gesture surprised her in more ways than one. She never expected him to try and comfort her after calling him out as a coward just hours before hand. His touch still made her heart skip a beat even after telling herself that she was better off without him a hundred times over.

"Alright, I'm here. Where is Mia?" Emilee asked running into the waiting room.

The foursome looked up from each other to see the absentee midwife they had been trying to contacts for hours. Roman was the first one to stand up and approach her. Rydia stayed close, realizing that he was angry about the situation. "Where the hell were you?" He asked harshly.

"None of your business. I'm here now so where is she?" Emilee retaliated.

"She's already giving birth with a different doctor, because you couldn't find time in your schedule to be there when she needed you."

Emilee sneered at the comment. She didn't want anyone else to be the one to do her job. Her eyes shifted to Rydia standing behind the man she loved in one point in her life. She blamed her for all of her misfortunes as of late. "This is all your fault." Emilee snapped pointing to the confused woman behind Roman.

"Give it a rest, Emilee. Rydia hasn't done anything to anyone." Skye defended.

"Your just as blind as everyone else. All of your problems revolve around her to. You lost Seth because of her, don't forget."

"I haven't forgotten anything; but I don't blame Rydia for that. She was in a damn coma when it happened."

Rydia felt like everything really was her fault in a sense. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, holding back the urge to speak her mind. It really wasn't her place to say anything. The fight was between the people who actually knew who she was. Emilee took another step closer to Roman, the anger evident on her face.

"Why don't you come out from behind him and look me in the eye!" She yelled.

"Back off!" Roman bellowed in the most harsh voice anyone had ever heard before.

Rydia didn't want a confrontation; but at that point she didn't think it was unavoidable. She cautiously stepped out from behind Roman's large frame of a body. "I honestly don't know why you dislike me so much. I didn't do anything to you." She asked hoping for some kind of answer from the petite woman before her.

"Oh but you did. You got those pesky memories back and ruined any chance I had left to get my boyfriend back."

Now it all made sense to her. Roman's connection to her was that she was his ex-girlfriend. Rydia smiled at the thought of her not having him at all. She knew that he loved her and only her. Her legs moved her a step closer with a slight sway to her hips. "You never had a chance in hell to get him back."

Emilee took the words as a threat and slapped Rydia across the face. Her head jerked to the side; but she never made a sound to indicate pain. In fact, Rydia just laughed at the action. Roman was confused as to why she was laughing when she had just been struck by someone. His mental explanation was that Nick had done so much to her that she developed a high pain tolerance.

"You really are pathetic. I love him more than life itself and no one will ever break that bond, not even Nick."

"You really need to rethink your priorities. Roman is happy with Ry. Don't you think that you should be happy for him that he found his soul mate?" Seth asked.

Emilee shook her head violently, not wanting to believe their words. The name Nick was a common one and it couldn't be the same guy she met at the club. The guy that had been showering her with attention since they met. Her anger was intertwined with her fear of perhaps Nick was the same guy that put Rydia in the coma to begin with.

She balled up her fist and struck Rydia once again in the jaw; but this time, it made the bigger woman stumble back a step. Roman couldn't believe what he was seeing. He reached out for Rydia, to steady her. She stood back up straight and turned to look in Emilee's direction. Blood rolled down the corner of her mouth. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins to the point of seeing red with rage.

Rydia struck hard and swift to the side of Emilee's face, knocking her down to the floor. She stood overlooking the fallen broken woman in tears. "I gave you a warning by not hitting you the first time; but your second strike will be your last that you will ever lay on me. I give everyone a chance; but I don't take bullshit from anyone."

Within moments, the police were walking through the doors. Roman figured someone from the waiting room called them. His fear for Rydia was overwhelming. After everything she had been through in the last year, she didn't deserve to be arrested because of a jealous ex-girlfriend's obsession. Emilee stood up from the floor on shaking legs and turned in the direction of the two policemen making their way towards them.

"Someone want to tell me what happened here? We got a call for a fight between two women." The one announce abruptly.

"There is no charges being pressed from me. I started the whole thing. I struck her first." Emilee admitted.

The other cop turned to look at Rydia, who was still bleeding from the corner of her mouth. She nodded her head in confirmation that Emilee did indeed strike first. "Do you want to press any charges?" He asked firmly.

Staring at Emilee's broken expression, she couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She had no idea how she would react if she had been in the same position. "No...I press no charges. She needs to go deliver my sister's baby." Rydia replied wiping the blood from her lip.

Emilee couldn't believe how lenient the woman was. The policemen took their leave and allowed them to continue as they were before. Rydia nodded her head to leave and go to Mia. Once she was gone, Roman turned to face her. He reached out to touch her swollen lip. "I'm sorry. I should have told you about her sooner." He apologized.

"Yes, you should have; but it's alright. I think things were settled."

"I'm glad you held back when you hit her. You probably really could have hurt if you hadn't."

"I only wanted to send a warning. I didn't really want to hurt her at all."

"That's one of the things I love about you."

He leaned in and kissed her lips gently, so as not to hurt her. Seth looked over at Skye, who was still trying to sort through everything that had just transpired right before her eyes. He reached out and laced his fingers with hers. She jumped a little at his touch; but quickly settled into welcoming his touch. "I'm sorry that I called you a coward." She whispered.

"Don't apologize for that. I deserved everything you said." He replied.

They smiled at each other. Not another word was spoken between them; but they both knew that their feelings for each other were still coursing through them.

**Mia's Delivery Room**

Mia sat up with her legs positioned in place for her to be able to push when told to. Dean stood by her head, giving her encouraging words in sweet whispers. The sweat rolled down her face and dripped on the hospital gown she was wearing. The door opened to reveal Emilee. A sense of relief washed over both Dean and Mia at the sight of her.

"You're doing good, Mia. Keep breathing." She stated with a smile.

Dean couldn't help but notice the forming bruise on her cheek. He wondered where she had gotten that; but there was a time to ask about it and it wasn't then. The other doctor stepped away to allow Emilee in to take over. The head was beginning to crown with a full head of dark hair. "Good girl, come on and push. Baby's head is crowning."

"Mia...almost there, baby." Dean soothed in her ear.

Mia dug in deep and pushed harder. She continued to do so until she felt the baby leave her body. Emilee held the baby in her arms, cleaning it off and waiting for the cry; but it never came. She worked to sucked fluid out of the nose and then finally the first cry was heard. Dean felt a tear roll down his cheek at the sound of the cry.

"Congratulations, you have a baby girl." Emilee stated handing the baby momentarily to Mia.

The first sight of her daughter was breathtaking. She knew that she'd have to spend time in the critical unit until her lungs were fully ready; but she didn't mind now that she got to see her face. Dean looked over, examining his daughter's face. He could see Mia through her in a lot of places; but there was touches of him to, especially the eye shape.

"We need to take her to the critical unit now; but once your on your feet you can see her again." Emilee stated holding her arms out for the infant.

Mia and Dean both bent down to kiss her little head before handing her over to Emilee's awaiting arms. Once everyone was out of the room, it was the first time Dean kissed his fiance in hours. They were now a complete family and the next step was to name their daughter, who had entered life on November 3rd at 6:54 PM. The baby only weighed 5 pounds even and was only sixteen and a half inches long. It didn't matter to them how big she was as long as she was healthy.

"I love you, Mia."

"I love you to..." She replied trailing off as she fell asleep.

**End Note: Well guys the baby is born. Did you expect to be a girl? Were you disappointed that it was a girl? Let me know what you guys thought and if you have idea's for a name. I have several in my head; but I'd love to hear your thoughts to.**


	41. Chapter 41

**Author Note: Thanks goes to Lilygirl95, caz21, Slytherin Studios, calwitch, LindaPipeBomb, Leasha Orton, The Kid Hardy, and DeeMarie426 for the awesome reviews. Thanks also goes to LadiiChef94 for becoming a follower to this story. I've finally reached the 200 mark and even two over. I can't thank you guys enough for being supportive and letting me know what you think since the beginning.**

"_**You're the first face that I see**_

_**And the last thing I think about**_

_**You're the reason that I'm alive**_

_**You're what I can't live without**_

_**You're what I can't live without"**_

_**'I Don't Deserve You' by: Plumb**_

Chapter 41: Justice

**Waiting Room**

Rydia held ice to her swollen lip. The sting from Emilee's strikes were still present just like a nagging bee sting. As much as she would have like to have seen Emilee carted off in handcuffs, there was a greater price than her own satisfaction. Mia was in the process of giving birth to her baby eight weeks early and there was a danger present in that knowledge.

"It's taking so long. I wonder what's going on." Skye commented breaking the silence.

"She'll be fine and so will the baby." Rydia replied.

Roman wrapped an arm around his scared girlfriend. She didn't need to to say that she was afraid, her body language told the complete story. He held her close, letting her soak in the comfort for as long as she wanted; but the sight of Emilee walking into the room rubbing her hands together with, what smelled like, hand sanitizer alarmed him.

Skye and Seth both stood up from the chairs they were currently sitting in, alerting Rydia to something. When she pulled out of Roman's embrace, her eyes narrowed briefly before regaining her composure. "What happened?" She asked.

"Mia is fine. She delivered a beautiful baby girl; but as you know she was early so the baby had to go to the intensive care unit." Emilee explained.

Skye smiled. It was the first time in a long while that there was a reason to be happy about something. A smile appeared on the Seth's face as well after hearing the news. Somehow he knew that the baby was a girl, simply because he saw Dean as that kind of father that would do anything for his daughter.

"Have they named her yet?" Rydia asked.

"No, not yet."

Emilee took her leave quickly, not really wanting to be in the same room with the woman she had struck earlier. Rydia let out the breath of air she had been holding in. There was still tension in the air between the two woman and it probably wouldn't go away without proper venting. Roman twined his fingers with hers, letting her know that he was there. "I need to buy my niece a gift now. That sounds so weird to say. I really can't believe I'm an aunt now."

"She's going to be so spoiled, huh?" Seth asked.

"Probably. Rydia loves babies. She always did." Skye replied.

Rydia smiled, knowing they were teasing her all in good fun. She started to walk out of the room, wanting to do the shopping by herself at the nearby mall. She knew that she had to hurry because it was pending closing time.

**Parking Lot**

The fresh air of the open parking lot was refreshing to her after smelling hand sanitizer and cleaning chemicals for the last few hours. Hearing her own shoes connecting with the pavement, it was starting to make her paranoid.

She felt like someone was following her; but every time she turned around no one was there to bust. Quickening the pace, she reached her car with her keys already in hand. Her hand pulled at the handled. A large body pushed her from behind, making her slam the door shut with her body weight.

Panic was starting to settle in, because she couldn't see who was pinning her against the side of her vehicle. Warm breath tickled the side of her neck and hands roamed the sides of her body. On top of panic was now fear.

"It's been a long time sweetheart." Nick whispered in her ear.

"Nick...what the hell do you want?" Rydia replied struggling against his hold on her arms.

"I want to finish what I started all those months ago. You know, I should have killed you while you were in that coma. No one would have ever noticed."

Rydia's fear turned into rage at the thought of him even touching her while asleep. She slammed the back of her head into his face. Nick let go of his grip on her arms to take hold of his face. She turned around to face the man that had tormented and took away months of her life. "You are fucking crazy. People would notice. A lot of people would notice."

"Not ones that matter." He chuckled and then reached out for her hair.

Nick yanked hard on her locks, forcing her to submit to his whim for a moment while she frantically thought of a way to get away from him. Her phone was in her pocket; but it would do no good if she couldn't use it to alert the others inside. He shoved her body into the side of her car. At the last second, she blocked some of the damage with her hands; but it still smashed out her backseat window.

The sound of glass shattering was deafening to her ears and the stinging pain of cuts along her bare skin made her cry out. Crimson colored fluid rolled down her arms, dripping from her fingertips onto the pavement below. "Why do you hate me so much?" She asked quietly. It was so quiet that Nick could barely make out her words.

"The answer is simple. If I can't have you then no one will. I would have left you alone had you just stayed to yourself; but no, you had to allow not one but two men into your heart. Although, you did push the other away. I should give you credit for that."

Rydia swallowed the lump in her throat, wondering what to do next. If she tried to run, he'd surely catch her. She mentally prayed for help. Blood was still seeping out of the dozens of open cuts on her arm, shoulder, neck and cheek. "That's one vicious blow there babe." A voice interrupted. Rydia knew it pretty well over the last few hours.

"Emilee..." She panted trying to keep from loosing consciousness.

"You didn't need to do that for me, course she did deserve it since she stuck me."

"He didn't...do that for you. Emilee he's using you."

Nick didn't confirm or deny Rydia's accusation. He figured now he had gotten interrupted by the little puppy that he'd have to coax her into leaving so he could finish the job. Emilee took several steps in his direction, only glancing at her enemy once. A crack of thunder echoed throughout the entire sky, warning the patrons of the pending storm.

"Emilee, you need to leave now and let me handle this. I didn't ask for you to come out here." Nick commanded in a harsh stern voice.

She ignored his tone of voice, knowing exactly who he was and what he really wanted with her; but it was a shame considering that he was a very attractive man. "Did you really think that I didn't know who were when you approached me that night in the club?" She asked without showing an ounce of fear.

"You didn't have a clue; otherwise, you would have told Mia the first chance you got." Nick countered calling her words as a bluff.

Rydia could barely keep her eyes open as she slid down the side of her car to her knees. She thought that she might have a concussion because of all the blurred vision; but it also could have been from all the blood loss as well. Emilee swiftly glanced at Rydia, taking in the wounds and knowing that she didn't have much time before she'd collapse.

"That's where you are wrong. I wouldn't have told Mia, because that would have alerted you to my plan."

Emilee snapped fingers and five police men rushed at Nick, tackling him to the ground. He was pinned beneath all their way so he had no way to escape. Rydia couldn't believe what she was seeing. Nick was finally in handcuffs. "Why did you think I told you that Rydia would be here? I set up our fight to get the police here and lure you in."

"You dirty little bitch." He blurted out as the cops set him up on his feet with his hands cuffed behind his back.

"Nicolas Grayson, you under arrest for the attempted murder of Rydia Chandler, attempted murder of Skye Atherton and murder of Paul Chandler." One officer quoted.

Rydia couldn't help but feel relieved to know that the terror was finally over. It was also good to know that Emilee didn't fight with her because she wanted to. It was a ploy to lure her adversary in and it worked. The rain finally started to pour down on the unsheltered people of the parking lot. The cold water drenched both women to the core. They watched as the five men hauled Nick off to the back of a waiting cop car.

"Thank...you..." Rydia panted before falling forward finally loosing consciousness.

"Rydia!" Emilee yelled rushing to her side.

**Inside The Hospital**

Rydia was being wheeled into a private room to be worked on. Emilee knew that her injuries were partly her fault for waiting so long to show up. She could hear Roman yell her name from down the hall. Behind him was Skye and Seth. All with concerned looks upon their faces. "What the hell happened?" Roman bellowed.

"Nick attacked her in the parking lot." She responded.

"That son-of-a-bitch..." Seth stated under his breath.

"He was arrested tonight."

The threesome's eyes widened. They couldn't believe the news. Emilee explained what happened in detail. She admitted to knowing who he was the whole time and that the only way she could get close enough to lure him in was to play the part of a heartbroken woman. Though it wasn't a total lie, in reality she'd never let a random stranger at a club sway her so easily.

"So it's really over..." Skye said letting the words roll off her tongue to see how it sounded.

"Yeah...he's not going anywhere any time soon. Rydia will be fine. All her wounds were from the glass. The worst thing she'd have is a concussion."

"Well that's good to hear." Seth commented.

Skye turned to look at him. He met her gaze with longing eyes. She reached over for his hand, holding it firmly in her own. Roman watched as their feelings for each other seeped out every pore in their bodies. He wished that they'd just forgive each other and continue the relationship that was made for them. "I got to get back up to Mia." Emilee interrupted the silent conversation.

"Thank you, Emilee." Roman said opening his arms to embrace her.

"You're welcome. I understand that she means the world to you, so I couldn't just let a nut case steal her from you."

"I appreciate that."

Emilee walked away, taking the elevator to the next floor. She knew that both Mia and Dean would be ecstatic with the news of Nick's arrest. She turned the corner for the infant critical unit. Scanning her I.D. card, the automatic doors opened. The new parents were located in the far corner of the unit.

"How are you feeling, Mia?" Emilee asked walking into the room.

Mia looked up from the small crib that held her newborn daughter. There were several tubes attached to her small body, assisting her in breathing. Dean stood behind his fiance, who was sitting in a chair in front of the small cradle. "I'm sore; but it doesn't matter to me. I'd much rather her be in my arms." Mia replied.

"I understand that; but she's in great hands here. It won't be long before you can hold her."

"Two weeks, the specialist estimated." Dean inserted.

Emilee could sense the depression in both of their voices. She guessed that now was as good of a time as any to tell them the news. "Nick was arrested about an hour ago." She admitted sitting down next to Mia, looking inside the small bed at the baby with small hands and feet. She had Mia's facial structure; but Dean's eye shape. There was so much of both in the little girl that there was no doubt in her mind that she'd grow up to be one major beauty.

"Are you serious?" Mia asked softly.

"Yeah...he attacked Rydia in the parking lot. The cops were already here so I brought them with me to end it once and for all."

"Is she alright?"

"Yeah she will be fine."

Mia couldn't take her eyes off the baby just within a fingertips reach. There was finally hope that they'd get to be a family in a safe home. Her daughter meant so much to her already and there was no way that anyone would ever harm her. Rydia had gone through so much just to protect everyone she cared about, including her niece. She couldn't imagine what had gone on inside her mind during all the chaos.

"Rylynn Ilyzabeth..." Mia whispered.

"Is that her name?" Emilee asked.

"Yes. Rylynn Ilyzabeth Ambrose. Basically means beautiful little princess of promise."

Dean kissed Mia's forehead lovingly. He had everything he ever wanted in life and now that Nick was no longer plaguing them, he could finally enjoy his family to the fullest without the fear of him ruining it. He was thrilled to know that his daughter carried some of Rydia's name. She was the reason Mia let him inside her heart. He owed her so much.

**End Note: Okay what did you all think of the baby's name? We are down to either 1 or 2 more chapters left. I can't believe it's coming to an end. If you want you can always check out my new story 'Pull Me Down'. **


	42. Chapter 42

**Author Note: Thanks goes to Leasha Orton, Slytherin Studios, calwitch, DeeMarie426, LindaPipeBomb, THE Kid Hardy, and Alisi822 for the wonderful reviews. Thanks also goes to A98Axo and WiltingQueen-84 for becoming a follower of this story.**

"_**We'll never let it slip away**_

_**Let this feeling go**_

_**You know our star will never fade**_

_**Never loose the glow**_

_**We let out hearts and souls**_

_**Engage eternally**_

_**Into infinity"**_

_**'Infinity' by: Pretty Maids**_

Chapter 42: Forgiven

**3 Weeks Later, Night Before Survivor Series**

Mia had been released from the hospital just a few days after giving birth to her daughter eight weeks early; but baby Rylynn was still unable to breathe on her own. She was strong and had a firm grip with her hands; but the breathing was still a problem. Dean had gone back to work and started in an angle with The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship.

Rylynn's blue eyes were open and looking straight up at her mother's adoring face. Mia reached into the small cradle to touch the small infant's hand. She couldn't help but smile at the joy Rylynn brought to her life. "Don't worry little one, daddy will be visiting again soon. He has to work to support us." She spoke softly.

It was difficult not being able to hold her daughter in her arms and smother her with kisses. She had to believe that the doctors knew what they were doing. She had to believe that someday soon she'd have her baby in her arms.

**Hotel, St. Louis Missouri**

Skye sat in her room with Dolph. Neither one of them had spoken a work to each other since they arrived. He noticed her guarded and quiet attitude since the arrest of Nick Grayson. He figured it was because it brought back memories of his attack on her months prior. It was really hard to pin point exactly what she was feeling since she said nothing about her feelings to him.

He reached out to her, pulling her to lean on him. She resisted and stood up quickly. He was surprised by her reaction. There was more going on inside her mind than she was letting him in on. He wanted to be there for her if there was a problem. He wanted to be the man to protect her.

"Skye..."

"I'm sorry...I...I just..."

"You just what? There is something obviously bothering you. Talk to me."

"I just think that maybe we should stop seeing each other. There is just so much going on inside my head and I need to sort it all out."

Her confession was not what he expected. He didn't really think she'd break up with him over the actions of the last couple of weeks. There had to be more to it than just that. He wondered if Seth had anything to do with it. He did notice that they were getting along better than before. "Is this because of Seth?" He asked curiously not letting on that his feelings were completely shattered at that point.

"Not really, this is about me and my need to sort out my own problems. Please understand and know that you really are a great guy. You did nothing wrong."

Dolph nodded his head in understanding; but didn't by into her explanation one bit. Standing up, he moved closer to her. He leaned in to place his lips onto her cheek. "I hope you figure out what you need to; but I won't wait around forever." He stated and turned away from her just as the tears trickled down her cheeks.

Outside the room, Dolph walked down the hall cursing to himself for letting himself get close to her. Seth stood at his doorway, placing the key into the lock when he heard the cursing. He turned to see Dolph's angered face for a moment before he entered the elevator. Something about the whispered conversation with himself alerted him. He was starting to worry about Skye.

Instead of opening his own door, he made a b-line to Skye's door. He knocked softly, hoping she'd hear it. Within second, she opened the door with wet streaks running down her cheeks. Her tears took his breath away in an instant. "Skye..."

Just the sound of her name flowing from his mouth broke the dam she had been struggling to keep at bay. Taking one step closer to him, she broke down against his chest. Without any hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her. Holding her tightly. "Shh..." He soothed running his hand down her back and up again.

"I...I broke up with him..." She sobbed.

"Why? I thought you were happy." He asked.

She pulled away, sniffling to a stop. Her fingers wiped away the remaining tears from her face. He walked into the room and closed the door behind him. Skye just looked so fragile at that moment that he couldn't just leave her in that state of mind. "I was at first. Things changed when Nick showed up again at the hospital." She replied.

"I don't understand why that would change things for you."

"It doesn't matter...and I think I just need to be alone..."

She turned away from him; but he wasn't about to let her do that. He reached out for her hand, holding it tightly in his own hand. The touch sent sparks throughout her entire body. "Don't be stubborn, Skye. You know damn well that I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on." He stated brushing his thumb across the knuckles of her hand.

"Let go, you don't have to right to tell me anything." She snapped jerking her hand away.

"So this is about me now? Damnit Skye, how many times do I need to apologize to you before you forgive me?"

Skye saw the longing in his eyes. Saw the love burning low in his chocolate orbs. Her heart continued to race without any control. Seth realized that he wasn't going to get her to talk anymore; so he turned away and reached for the door handle. Panicking that he'd actually leave her for good, she reached out for his arm. Taking a firm hold of it.

Seth refused to look back at her for fear of what he'd see. The feeling of her hand on his skin seared him like fire. How could he confuse sibling like devotions with how he felt for Skye? He had been the biggest moron to push her away. "Seth, please..."

"Please what?" He asked softly hiding the fact that all he wanted to do was turn around and kiss her until her lips bruised.

"Don't go...I...don't want you to walk away."

Letting out a sigh, he finally turned around in her direction. He didn't know what else to say to her. She already knew that he was sorry for what he put her through while Rydia was in the coma; but it came down to the fact that it was she that left him, not the other way around. He wondered if she regretted the decision.

"Skye, I'm never going to walk away from you. I'm always going to be there for you. I'm not going to hide that fact that I still love you; but you need to figure out what you want to do."

She stared at him for a long moment before wrapping a hand around his neck to pull his face down to her lips. Her action stunned him for a second; but it didn't take him long to return the kiss she desperately wanted. His hand cupped her cheek gently as he slipped his tongue through her parted lips that begged for entrance.

A soft moan escaped her throat at the pleasure of twining her tongue with his. She moved her hands down his chest, gripping his t-shirt. Seth reached down to lift her up by her legs, so she'd wrap them around his waist. His lips broke away from her to slid his tongue down her neck to middle between her breasts. Another moan escaped her mouth, encouraging him to continue further.

Seth lay her down upon the bed, still standing between her legs. She arched her back with the need to feel his skin on hers. He lifted his shirt over his head allowing her the view of his bare chest. She drug her nails down his chest, sending shivers up his spine. He knew what she wanted and there was no denying that he wanted to same thing.

"You are so beautiful..." He whispered against her lips before kissing them once more.

**The Next Day, Survivor Series**

Rydia paced back and forth along the floor of Roman's locker-room. Tonight was her big night. She would be facing AJ Lee for the Diva's Championship within a matter of moments. There had been so much that happened leading up to that point in her life; but there were three things that made her smile no matter. One, Nick no longer plagued her existence. Two, Mia gave birth to a beautiful baby girl that she could now spoil rotten; and three, Roman Reigns for being the best thing to ever happen to her.

It would still be another month before Nick's trial and she would have to relive every horrible moment in court; but she tried to remain optimistic and stay positive. She didn't want to let the others know that it still bothered her and probably always would at some degree. "Rydia." Roman called from the doorway.

"Hey..." She replied.

"It's time."

She nodded and started for the door that would lead her into the hallway. The walk to the stage curtain seemed like an eternity. Roman held her hand tightly, trying to be as supportive as he could because he couldn't be out there with her. Rydia stopped walking just as saw the black curtain. "You'll do fine. I love you." Roman whispered as he kissed her cheek.

**The Match**

Justin Roberts stood in the center of the ring holding a microphone to his lips, announcing the next match was for the Diva's Championship. 'Let's Light It Up' started up and AJ skipped out onto the stage. She stopped overlooking the thousands of people in attendance before continuing on down the ramp. The title belt bounced on shoulder every time she skipped. Stepping into the ring, she held up her title letting everyone know that she was the champion.

The familiar static started before breaking into 'Break Out' by The Letter Black. The crowd started cheering for the newly returned diva. The commentators spoke of their worry of ring rust due to her injury that kept her sidelined for seven months. Rydia stepped out onto the stage dressed in black vinyl pants and white crop tank top. Her long brown hair was curled at the ends to give it a little more flare.

AJ never took her eyes off Rydia's. She knew this was a long time coming considering everything that happened between them professionally and personally behind the scenes. There was no greater feeling than to give someone a shot at something they deserve. She took pride in that knowledge.

Rydia stepped into the ring and stood before her opponent, eying the title ever so conspicuously. The music faded away and both woman stood before each other as AJ handed the referee her title that she loved so much.

"Introducing first, the challenger...now residing in Pensacola Florida...Rydia Chandler."

There was no mistake in who the crowd favored in the match. Their cheers and screamed for deafening. It made Rydia's heart swell with happiness to know they loved her so much.

"Introducing next, from Union City New Jersey...she is the Diva's Champion...AJ Lee."

The referee held up the title and signaled for the bell to ring. AJ immediately locked up with the bigger woman. There was a slight difference in strength as noted when Rydia shoved her away with ease. She took her down with a simple arm drag, flipping Rydia onto her back. AJ held onto the joint between her shoulder and arm, applying pressure to it.

Rydia slapped her shoulder several times before getting to her feet. Her elbow was driven into AJ's abdomen, creating space between them for a moment. AJ turned back only to get a punch to the jaw. Rydia ducked under the other woman's attempt to strike her. She used the ropes to swing her body into a cross body attempt.

The referee counted to two before AJ lifted her shoulder up off the canvas. Rydia lifted her up by her hair; but AJ countered with a swift kick to the gut and a 'Shining Wizard' to the face. The crowd gasped in horror as one of AJ's finishing moved was planted successfully on their choice to win. She scrambled for the cover. To her and everyone else's surprise, Rydia lifted her shoulder off the mat so as not to be pinned.

Narrowing her eyes, AJ waited for Rydia to get to her feet. Once she did, she sprung. Wrapping her body around Rydia's and holding her arm out. She successfully got her into the submission called 'The Black Widow'. Rydia yelled out in pain, desperately trying to find a way out of the predicament. "Tap!" AJ screamed.

Curling her free arm around AJ's legs, she used what strength she had left to pull them out from under her. Rydia stood up quickly and kicked AJ hard in the stomach before pulling her head under her arm. She delivered a rolling cutter she called 'Sweet Dreams'. Without hesitation she went for the cover. The referee slammed his hand on the canvas a total of three times, declaring Rydia the winner. The surprise washed over her along with tears of joy.

"Here is your winner and new WWE Diva's Champion...Rydia Chandler." Justin announced.

The referee handed Rydia's the title belt and raised her arm up. She hugged the title tightly. Roman slid into the ring to celebrate with her. He kissed her lips and lifted her up into a large embrace. He put her back down on her feet and she exited the ring and went straight for Emilee, who was in the front row. She hugged her tightly. "Thank you for everything." She thanked in her ear.

"You're welcome." Emilee replied in the same whisper.

Roman smiled. He was thrilled to know that Emilee didn't harbor any hatred of Rydia. Emilee didn't have to use herself as bait to lure Nick in just to help put him away. He would forever be grateful that she did. Emilee looked passed Rydia and stared at him for a moment, giving him a silent 'you're welcome' to him as well. He nodded his head in agreement to her silent statement.

**End Note: Well just one more chapter left. I know its sad. It's even sad for me; but I would really like to thank all of you for taking the time to read this and review with your comments. I love all of you!**


	43. Chapter 43

**Author Note: Thanks goes to Amy Lynne Weed and jessahvi for becoming followers to this story. Thanks also goes to THE Kid Hardy, Guest, DeeMarie426, LindaPipeBomb, and Lilygirl95 for the reviews. So we've finally come down the final chapter. I'm so thrilled to know that so many of liked this story. I really hope that you give my next story and chance as well. It's called 'Pull Me Down'. I hope you enjoy reading the last installment.**

"_**Cos' I'd give my life for you**_

_**And I'd die right here for you**_

_**You are the one**_

_**We're one and the same**_

_**You are my life**_

_**Just call out my name**_

_**And I'll lead you through this open door"**_

_**'I Live' by: Nemesea**_

Chapter 43/Epilogue

Rydia felt weird holding that Diva's Championship over her shoulder; but she played the part of a champion well. Rydia owed Emilee a lot for everything she did. She was the one who outsmarted Nick in the first place. None of the others had achieved that, not even her. Standing in front of her father's grave gave her a sense of peace that hadn't been there since the beginning of the whole situation.

"He's finally going to get what's coming to him, dad." She whispered placing her hand against the headstone.

The breeze picked up, flowing through her long hair. It was as if there were words attached to that gust of wind. There were so many things he missed. Some good and some bad; but it was all part of the circle of retribution. Placing the rose across the top of the stone, she turned away making her way back to the waiting car.

"Are you okay?" Roman asked as he watched her sit down on the passenger seat.

"Yeah...I told him that Nick will finally get what's coming to him. We all should be able to rest now that he's behind bars."

He nodded his head and started the car up. He drove quickly back to the airport. Their flight was going to take them back home. Dean and Mia had just gotten home with Rylynn and they both wanted to see the baby. Especially Rydia. Leaving Texas was hard for her, since she spent all of her life there; but now that she lived in Florida things were slightly different. This time she had the man that completed her by her side.

**Pensacola, Florida/ Dean and Mia's Home**

Mia held Rylynn close to her chest, rocking her in a chair near the open window. Gazing down at her daughter's perfect face made her realize exactly what she now had, and that was a family of her own. Dean walked into the nursery with two glasses of Iced Tea. He leaned over to place her glass on the windowsill. "You know that you can put her down." He stated placing a gentle hand on his daughter's tiny head.

"I don't want to. I didn't get to hold her when she was born for more than a second. They wouldn't let me hold her while she was in the intensive care unit." She replied.

"I know. The others will be here soon."

He knelt down and placed his lips against the warm cheek of Rylynn. Her dark hair was just like her mother's and looking at her blue eyes was like looking into a mirror. There was no doubt in his mind that she'd grow up to be just as beautiful as her mother. "Okay miss Rylynn, are you ready to meet everyone?" Mia asked snuggling into her daughter's face.

It didn't take long for door to be knocked upon. Dean quickly walked out of the room to answer it. The door was opened to reveal Seth and Skye standing there with smiles upon their faces. Skye's fingers were twined with Seth's. He wondered when the change had happened; but then he did realize that he wasn't fully aware while his daughter was being born.

"Hey guys, come on in. Mia will be down shortly. She getting the baby ready."

"So how does it feel? To be a father, I mean." Skye asked with a smile.

"There is no other feeling like it. She has changed me completely."

Seth had nothing to say, because he knew that Mia and Rylynn were the best for him. He wanted the best for his friend. Skye turned in his direction and gave him a soft kiss to his lips before walking into the large living room. Emilee was the next to arrive. She wanted to be there for the new mother as much as she could. On top of the fact that she wanted to be friends with the entire group.

"Emilee, it's so great to see you." Mia said walking down the stairs holding a bundle of pink in her arms.

"Did you really think I'd miss this?" She asked.

"Well considering what happened on the day I gave birth, I wasn't so sure I'd ever see you again."

Mia made the rest of the way down the stairs and entered the living room, hoping that everyone was there; but there were two that were missing. Her sister and Roman. Skye stood up and started her small walk to the new mom. "I've been waiting to see her for so long and that I see her...I can say that she's absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you."

"So where is Rydia and Roman?" Emilee asked.

"They said they were coming right?" Mia asked looking at Dean with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, I talked to Roman this morning." He replied.

The sound of a key unlocking the front door was an indication that they had arrived. Rydia opened the door and pulled her bags inside. She turned her head to see everyone in the living room. A smile appeared on her lips almost instantly. Roman entered the home seconds later. His long black hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and his beautifully dark eyes connected with the small infant in Mia's arms.

"Oh my, she's so beautiful." Rydia swooned instantly closing the distance between her and her niece.

"Well she was named partially for you. You've been through so much over the last year that no one could ever understand. You are strong and I want her to know that about you."

"Mia, my strength came from all of you. If I didn't have any of you, I would have given up a long time ago.

Roman twined his fingers with hers, giving her the strength that she spoke of. Mia knew that if Roman wouldn't have involved himself in her sister's life, things would have turned out so very differently. She had to thank him for that, because maybe Rydia wouldn't be standing there in front of her without him. "Roman..." Mia started.

"Yeah..."

"I want to thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

Mia handed Rylynn over to a waiting Skye. That was the first time Dean had really seen her without the baby in her arms. He watched his fiance take steps to close the gap between her and Roman. "If you hadn't gotten involved with Ry, I seriously doubt that she'd be here today to celebrate my daughter with me. You had every opportunity to walk away from her when things got rough and almost unmanageable; but you didn't. You are the reason my sister is alive."

"No, I'm not the only reason. We all protected her. I love her and would have never given up on her, even when she couldn't remember me."

Rydia smiled and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. Mia smiled and nodded her head in understanding. Roman turned to the side to face his girlfriend. The group watched anxiously. They were waiting for what they knew was coming. "What?" Rydia asked wondering why he was staring at her so intently.

"Rydia, you realize that us meeting was fate. I was meant to be yours. I was meant to break you free of Nick."

"Of course, I know that."

Roman reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Rydia's heart started to accelerate. She had a feeling that she knew what was coming and that her sister had something to do with it. She watched him kneel down on one knee in front of her. His fingers opened the box to reveal the most beautiful diamond ring she had ever seen.

"Rydia Isabel Chandler, will you marry me?" He asked.

Her words were caught in her through as she tried to hold back the tears of joy that were threatening to spill over her lashes. Seth watched closely. He was happy that she finally had everything that she deserved in life. "Yes..." She choked out nodding her head at the same time.

He pulled the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her finger before standing up to kiss her. All Emilee could do was watch the former love of her life become engaged right before her eyes. She thought that it would hurt more than it really did. She was happy for them, because despite everything that happened she would find someone of her own.

**Texas State Prison**

Nick sat in a small room awaiting to see his father. He was actually surprised that the man wanted to see him after being caught by the cops. It didn't surprise him to learn that he cut him out of the will. His actions spoke for themselves and none of them were creditable. Taping his fingertips on the wooden top of the table, the door finally opened to reveal his father.

"Hello dad." Nick greeted.

"I didn't come here to chit chat with you. I came here to say goodbye."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You have disgraced our family. Do you have any idea what you've done to all of us? Your mother? Your sister?"

Nick snorted in annoyance. He really didn't give a damn about some family reputation. Ronald continued to glare at his son. He really couldn't comprehend the state of mind his son had to be to commit such crimes against Rydia and the people she was close to. "There is no excuse that makes your actions okay. You tortured that woman and the people she loves. You left her in a freaking coma for six months."

"She deserved everything she got and then some. She got lucky that someone actually outsmarted me; otherwise, she'd be dead."

Ronald was appalled by Nick's words. He wondered where he had gone wrong as a parent to have raised such a heartless and emotionless man as a son. "It doesn't matter. We will be supporting Rydia during the trial. You will be punished to the fullest extend of the law."

"Is that all you came here to tell me?"

Ronald turned his back to his son and walked out of the conference room. Nick just stared at the wall in front of him thinking about everything he had done to the woman he once loved with every fiber of his being. He honestly didn't know what changed inside him; but there was no going back and there was certainly no apologizing for anything. It would be meaningless and a waste of his time to try.

**Epilogue**

Rydia and the others sat in the courtroom. They were awaiting the sentencing for Nick Grayson. Karen Chandler sat behind her daughters holding her sleeping granddaughter in her arms. She watched Rydia twist her engagement ring around her finger over and over again in attempts to calm her nerves. Roman grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"All rise for the honorable Judge."

Every stood up as the judge made his way back to his seat. Nick turned his head slightly to see Rydia. His heart broke upon seeing the sparkle of the diamond on her finger. That was all he ever wanted with her, now that he had had time to think about everything he had done to her. "As the jury reached a verdict?" The judge asked.

"We have your honor." Jury number one stated.

She passed a piece of paper to the officer and then he passed it to the judge. He quickly read it contents before allowing the jury member speak the verdict. "On the count of murder in the second degree of Paul Chandler, how does the jury find him?"

"Guilty."

"On the count of attempted murder of Rydia Chandler and Skye Atherton, how does to jury find him?"

"Guilty."

A wave of relief washed over the entire group. They were finally completely free of him and they could finally live their lives without having to look over their shoulders. Nick had been sentenced to fifty years in prison without parole. Rydia watched as the officer carted Nick away. He looked back to see her one more time before he could no longer see her face.

"Well Paul finally got justice, how do you feel?" Skye asked Karen.

"Better. I feel a lot better knowing that he is behind bars and can longer hurt any of you ever again." She replied.

Outside the courthouse, Roman and Rydia sat down on the stairs awaiting everyone else to emerge. His hand rested on her thigh. "Are you okay?" He asked softly kissing her temple. She nodded her head and leaned against his chest.

"I'm just so glad this is over and we can concentrate on us."

"You are my everything, Rydia and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

She lifted her head up and looked into his eyes. There was nothing but honesty in them. Plunging forward, she captured his lips with her own. His hands cupped the sides of her face as his lips caressed hers. Her heart swelled at the thought of them being together forever and maybe someday they'd welcome a child into their world; but until then they vowed to make each other happy on a daily basis. "Forever, baby girl. Forever." He whispered against her lips before kissing them once more.

**End Note: Well there you have it. I hope you all enjoyed the ending. Please let me know what you all thought and if you all want to, you can read my new story 'Pull Me Down'. I really enjoyed writing this for all of you. **


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